Kano Pillars have prioritised the 2024/2025 NPFL season over the President Federation Cup, the club’s interim Head Coach Ahmed Garba (Yaro Yaro), has exclusively told Completesports.com.
This comes as the club’s defensive midfielder and former Nigeria international, Shehu Abdullahi, has resumed training with the team after taking time off for the burial of the late Abubakar Lawal. The Nigeria-born footballer was alleged to have fallen from the third-floor balcony of Voicemall Arcade in Kampala, Uganda, leading to his death.
Lawal, 29, was reportedly at the shopping mall to visit a Tanzanian friend.
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Garba, popularly known as ‘Yaro Yaro’, who has been overseeing Sai Masu Gida’s technical affairs following the suspension of Technical Adviser Usman Abd’Allah last month, told Completesports.com on Friday afternoon that the club is prioritising the league over the Federation Cup.
Kano Pillars will host Nasarawa United this weekend in an NPFL matchday 29 fixture. Then, on Tuesday, 17 March, they will face Rangers at the Bwari Mini Stadium in Abuja in a Round of 64 clash in the 2025 President Federation Cup.
“Yes, we’re prepared for our match against Nasarawa United and then the FA Cup match on Tuesday, 17 March, against Rangers,” Ahmed Garba (Yaro Yaro) told Completesports.com in an exclusive interview.
“It’s two big games coming up close to each other, but we have prioritised the league match over the FA Cup.
“We (Kano Pillars) are not too far from the top three, so with more effort, we can still achieve something at the end of the season.
“But that doesn’t mean we won’t give attention to the FA Cup. No, we’ll go for it and we’re ready, except that our priority remains the league.”
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Kano Pillars currently sit sixth on the NPFL table with 42 points, 12 points behind leaders Remo Stars and four points behind second-placed Rivers United. Only two points separate them from third-placed Ikorodu City, while they are level on 42 points with Rangers, who are ahead on goal difference.
Coach Ahmed Garba also confirmed that Shehu Abdullahi has returned to training after Lawal’s burial.
“You know Shehu has a lot of human kindness. He travelled to Uganda immediately after the incident to understand what happened and to facilitate bringing the corpse home,” Yaro Yaro explained.
“It was the Nigerian Embassy in Uganda that eventually brought the body back, while Shehu was on the ground in Sokoto, arranging the burial. Both of them were from Sokoto.
“Now, the burial is over, and Shehu is back in training.”
By Sab Osuji
