Nigerian football stars Ahmed Musa and Shehu Abdullahi have rejoined Kano Pillars on short-term contracts for the 2024/25 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season. The duo returned to their former club ahead of the match-day five fixture against Sunshine Stars.
Both players were seen in training on Thursday, preparing with the squad. Kano Pillars confirmed their participation, stating, “Ahmed Musa, Shehu Abdullahi, Nazir Laja, and the rest of the squad trained ahead of NPFL 2024/25 Matchday 5 clash against Sunshine Stars this weekend,” via their official X (formerly Twitter) account on Friday.
For Musa, this marks his third stint with Kano Pillars, having previously played for the team in 2009/10 and again in 2021. The 31-year-old former Super Eagles captain had recently terminated his contract with Turkish side Sivasspor in February. Meanwhile, Abdullahi, who first featured for Pillars in 2012, is making a return after being without a club since January 2023.
Although the NPFL 2024/25 summer transfer window has closed, both players are eligible to join the squad as free agents. NPFL Head of Competitions, Sunday Obaseki, confirmed their eligibility, saying, “Yes, he [Musa] can be registered. Ahmed Musa will be on the Transfer Matching System, so he won’t have a problem.”
Musa, whose return to Pillars generated significant interest, had been linked with a move to the current NPFL champions Rangers International before deciding to rejoin Kano Pillars. During his first spell in 2009, Musa made headlines by finishing as the league’s top scorer with 18 goals, leading to his move to Europe where he played for VVV Venlo, CSKA Moscow, Leicester City, and later Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
The reunion of Musa and Abdullahi is expected to bolster Kano Pillars’ chances in the ongoing NPFL season, as the team looks to recapture its former glory.
