Reigning champions Kano Pillars made a powerful start to their title defence at the Nigeria Amputee Football Championship in Abuja, sharing early headlines with Niger FC as both teams delivered outstanding performances on the first day of the tournament.
Pillars battled past Plateau State FC with a narrow 2–1 victory in a tense opening match. Bethel Emmanuel broke the deadlock for the defending champions, but Abdullahi Mohammed levelled the score for Plateau shortly after. Emmanuel later returned to seal the win, grabbing his second goal of the game to give Pillars a perfect start.
In another encounter, debutants Gida Gida FC gave a spirited showing but were edged out 1–0 by Niger FC. Mohammed Nasiru found the back of the net for Niger, whose experience and discipline helped them withstand late pressure and secure the win.
Kano Pillars later showed their class again, cruising to a 3–0 victory over Kaduna FC in their second outing of the day. Despite the demanding schedule, the champions maintained their composure and attacking sharpness, making it clear they intend to keep hold of their crown.
President of the Nigeria Amputee Football Federation, Paul Maduakor, applauded the tournament’s smooth coordination and high level of competition, emphasizing that the event provides a crucial platform to scout players for the upcoming Amputee Football World Cup.
“I am impressed with the level of organisation and the enthusiasm shown by the participants,” he told the press after the match.
“We are confident that from this competition, we will select some of the best talents to represent Nigeria at the World Cup while also blending in promising new players coming through the ranks.”
Echoing his remarks, the Federation’s Technical Director, Victor Nwenwe, commended the overall standard of play, particularly highlighting the strong displays from the newcomers as proof that amputee football is steadily gaining momentum in the country.
“The level of play has been impressive. The new teams have shown great potential, and we’re hopeful of discovering top talent among them,” he said.
A total of six teams — Kano Pillars, Kaduna FC, Niger FC, Plateau FC, Gida Gida FC, and Kano Pillars 2 — are competing in this year’s edition, which continues this week in the nation’s capital.
