Wikki Tourists have sealed their long-awaited return to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) in emphatic style, dismantling Yobe Desert Stars 4-0 on Thursday, July 11, at the Nigeria National League (NNL) Super 8 playoffs in Enugu. The Bauchi-based side, coached by veteran tactician Abdu Maikaba, topped Conference A with five points to clinch one of the two promotion tickets.
Wonderson Yakubu was the hero of the day, netting a sensational hat-trick, while Hassan added gloss to the victory with a fourth goal, ensuring Wikki Tourists’ resurgence after seasons of underwhelming performance. The club, a former NPFL heavyweight, will now square off against the Conference B winner in the final to determine the 2024/25 NNL champions.
Barau FC, on the other hand, made history by earning their maiden promotion to Nigeria’s top-flight football. The Kano-based club stunned Doma United with a clinical 2-0 win to emerge from Conference B. Usman Maidubji and Shammasu Muhd were on target for the newcomers, whose disciplined performance capped a fairy-tale campaign.
This promotion marks a significant milestone for Barau FC, whose journey from amateur grassroots tournaments to the elite NPFL reflects a meteoric rise powered by youth development and strategic management. Their entrance into the big league is expected to shake up the northern football landscape.
Wikki’s return to the NPFL also rekindles memories of their 2007–2010 era dominance, during which they consistently finished in the top half of the table and competed in continental tournaments. Fans across Bauchi are already celebrating what they call a “football rebirth.”
The NNL Super 8, hosted at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, has seen record attendance and national interest this year as promotion battles intensified, with clubs like Inter Lagos, Doma United, and Beyond Limits giving strong accounts despite falling short.
The NNL final showdown is expected this weekend, with the trophy clash not just about silverware but bragging rights before entering the NPFL cauldron in the upcoming season.
