Kano Pillars struggles in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) deepened on Saturday as they fell 2-0 at home to Niger Tornadoes in Katsina, extending their poor run under new coach Muhammad Babaganaru.
The match, played at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium due to their ban following crowd trouble in their draw against Shooting Stars on match day 8.
The match marked Babaganaru’s first game in charge since replacing Ogenyi Evans, who was sacked last Sunday after a poor string of results.
After a goalless first half, Abdulrasheed Dabai and Terdoo Shimagande struck in the second period to hand Tornadoes a deserved away win their second consecutive victory in the NPFL.
Despite the introduction of Ahmed Musa from the bench, Pillars failed to convert their dominance into goals. They had 63% possession, 16 shots (five on target), and eight corners compared to Tornadoes’ seven shots (three on target) and just one corner, but could not find the back of the net.
The result leaves the four-time NPFL champions hovering near the relegation zone, while Niger Tornadoes climb into the top four.
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However, the defeat highlighted the size of the task ahead for Babaganaru, a two-time NPFL title winner with Pillars in 2011/12 and 2012/13, who returns to Kano after a difficult spell at Akwa United and a short-lived stint at Lobi Stars.
During his tenure in Uyo, Babaganaru managed 27 matches, recording 10 wins, four draws, and 13 defeats before the Promise Keepers were relegated from the topflight.
He resigned on 10 December 2024 after a 1-1 draw against Bendel Insurance, and later took charge of Lobi Stars, who also went down after losing all three games under his management.
Babaganaru is now winless in his last 4 matches as Technical Adviser of an NPFL side.
Saturday’s defeat followed Pillars’ 2-1 derby loss to Barau FC a week earlier, meaning the club have now suffered back-to-back home defeats. They sit on two wins, two draws, and five losses from nine matches in the 2025/26 NPFL season.
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The Sai Masu Gida will now look to regroup as they prepare for their next fixture, hoping to revive their season and climb out of the relegation battle.
