Niger Tornadoes Football Club is a soccer club based in Minna, Nigeria. They play in the Nigerian Professional Football League. Their home stadium is Bako Kontagora Stadium. They have also played their home games at Confluence Stadium in Lokoja.

Niger Tornadoes
Full nameNiger Tornadoes Football Club
Nickname(s)Ikon Allah
Founded1977; 47 years ago (1977)
GroundBako Kontagora Stadium
Minna, Nigeria
Capacity5,000
ChairmanHon. Adamu Aliyu Mohammed
ManagerDaniel Aquino [1]
LeagueNigeria Professional Football League (NPFL)
2023—24Nigeria Professional Football League, 14th of 20[2]

History

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In 2005 they finished in the lower half of the Nigerian Premier League but avoided relegation by three points. The club has suffered financial difficulties, with players complaining of unpaid salaries and bonuses.

After a 0–3 start to the 2008–09 season the entire management was sacked. The replacements for the chairman (David Suleiman) and the manager (Danladi Nasidi) had the same positions at the club from 2004 to 2005 when they finished 13th and 14th in the Premier League. On November 15, the team hired Justin Tenger as technical adviser, a role he had until 2004.

They were relegated from the Premier League in 2012 on goal difference after scoring 38 goals in 36 games. Thirteen of the goals were scored by Sibi Gwar who was the league's top scorer. They won promotion again in 2015 after winning the Nigeria National League.

Niger Tornadoes were promoted back to the top division in 2015. Coach Abdullahi Biffo led them to a promotion spot which they clinched after defeating Mighty Jets F.C. 2–0.[3] With two goals from their star forward, Joaco Seleme.

Niger Tornadoes were runners up in the Nigerian FA Cup in 2017 after losing on penalties to Akwa United.[4]

The club was fined N1 million in 2019 for crowd troubles in a game against Bendel Insurance.[5]

Achievements

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2000
1996, 2015

Performance in CAF competitions

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2001 – Quarter-finals
2010 – Quarter-finals

Current team

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As of 11 February 2019

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   NGA Ndem Innocent
2   NGA James Martins Iko
3 FW   NGA Anthony Onyebuchi Onyeakazi
4   NGA Moses Ugwu
5 DF   NGA Sunday Akinmoladun
6 DF   NGA Sarki Ismaila
7 MF   NGA Tanko Awwal
8 MF   NGA Adetola Ayo
9 FW   NGA Muhammed Adam Amao
11   GHA Eric Frimpong
13   NGA Peter Abashiya
14 MF   NGA Obinna Jacob
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 DF   NGA Ibrahim Babawo Abubakar
20 FW   NGA Mustapha Jibrin
21 AMF   NGA Miazina Nwimueyii
22 FW   NGA Osondu Jonathan
23 FW   NGA Analaba Uchechukwu
27   NGA Atsen Emmanuel
28 DF   NGA Anyamele Chukwuemeka
30 GK   NGA Mustapha Salihu Aliko
32   NGA Mohammed Aliyu
33 FW   NGA Chigbo Chinenye Christian
34 MF   NGA Alani Azeez
35 MF   NGA Iliasu Sulaimon
36 FW   NGA Amamgbo Ekenedelichukwu
38   NGA Bashar Usman

References

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  1. ^ "Tornadoes Coach Bala insists club won't be relegated". npfl.ng. Retrieved 2022-08-01.
  2. ^ "NPFL 2021/2022 standings - overall, home/away standings". Flashscore. Retrieved 2022-08-01.
  3. ^ Prince, Toby (September 30, 2015). "Meet the four teams promoted to the Nigeria Premier League". qed.ng.
  4. ^ "Akwa Utd Defeats Tornadoes to Win Maiden Aiteo Cup". thisdaylive.com.
  5. ^ "LMC fines Niger Tornadoes N1 million for crowd troubles". Dailytimes.ng. February 7, 2015.