Ranchers Bees have parted ways with technical adviser Usman Abdallah by mutual agreement after a difficult start to their return to the Euromatch-Nigeria Premier Football League, with Friday’s 3–1 defeat to Shooting Stars adding to the pressure on the newly promoted Kaduna club.
The club confirmed the development in a statement published on its official Facebook page, thanking Abdallah and members of his technical crew for their contributions and wishing them success in their future endeavours.
“Ranchers Bees Kaduna confirms that the club has parted ways with Technical Adviser Usman Abdullah and some members of the technical crew by mutual agreement,” the statement read.
Although the club did not explicitly link the decision to its recent results, the announcement follows a disappointing opening nine matches in the top flight, during which Ranchers have struggled to establish consistency.
The Bees have recorded two wins, two draws and five defeats, collecting eight points from a possible 27. They have conceded 13 goals and sit 18th on the league table, placing them in the relegation zone.
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Friday’s encounter at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan proved another setback for Ranchers, who fell 3–1 to Shooting Stars in their Matchday Nine fixture.
The defeat left Ranchers searching for answers after a run of inconsistent performances. While the club had shown signs of promise earlier in the campaign, including a 4–0 victory over Abia Warriors and a 2–1 win against Bendel Insurance, those results have not translated into sustained momentum.
Abdallah’s departure marks a short spell at a club that had placed considerable expectations on his experience when appointing him in June 2026.
Ranchers Bees turned to the former Enyimba coach as they prepared for their long-awaited return to the NPFL after an 18-year absence.
He was appointed on a reported two-year deal, with the club hoping his experience would help establish the team among Nigeria’s topflight sides.
His reputation was built in part during his time at Enyimba, where he helped the Aba club reach the semi-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup before leading them to the 2018/19 NPFL title.
His coaching career has also included spells with Kano Pillars, Wikki Tourists and Katsina United.
Abdallah joined Ranchers after leaving Remo Stars at the end of the 2025/26 campaign, a season in which the Ikenne club suffered relegation.
His new assignment was expected to provide a fresh chapter as he took charge of another team navigating the demands of Nigerian topflight football.
Instead, his tenure in Kaduna has ended after roughly four months, with Ranchers now facing the challenge of stabilising their campaign and moving away from the relegation places.
Doma United next as Ranchers seek a response
Ranchers Bees’ immediate task is to regroup ahead of their next league fixture against fellow promoted side Doma United on Sunday, 25 October.
The meeting offers an opportunity to respond to the defeat in Ibadan, but the club must also address the broader problems reflected in its results so far.
With five defeats from nine matches and 13 goals conceded, improving defensive organisation and finding greater consistency will be central to their efforts to climb the table.
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