Niger Tornadoes Football Club is a
soccer club based in
Minna
Minna is a city in Middle Belt Nigeria. It is the capital city of Niger State, one of Nigeria's 36 federal states. It consists of two major ethnic groups: the Gbagyi and the Nupe.
History
Archaeological evidence suggests settlement in t ...
,
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of G ...
. They currently play in the
Nigerian Professional Football League
The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) is the highest level of the Nigerian football league system, for the Nigerian club-football championships.
The Nigerian league has suffered, like many others, from the financial impact and dwindl ...
. Their home stadium is
Bako Kontagora Stadium and have also played home game at
Confluence Stadium
Confluence Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Lokoja, Kogi State with a 25,000 seating capacity. It is the home ground of Kogi United and Confluence Queens in the Nigeria National League and Nigeria Women Premier League respectively. It was us ...
in
Lokoja
Lokoja is a city in Nigeria. It lies at the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers and is the capital city of Kogi State. While the Yoruba (Oworo), Bassa Nge and Nupe are indigenous to the area, other ethnic groups of Nigeria, including the ...
.
History
In 2005 they finished in the lower half of the
Nigerian Premier League
The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) is the highest level of the Nigerian football league system, for the Nigerian club-football championships.
The Nigerian league has suffered, like many others, from the financial impact and dwindl ...
but avoided relegation by three points. The club has suffered financial difficulties, with players complaining of unpaid salaries and bonuses.
After an 0–3 start to the 2008–09 season the entire management was sacked. The replacements at chairman (David Suleiman) and manager (Danladi Nasidi) had the same positions at the club from 2004–05 when they finished 13th and 14th in the Premier League. On November 15, the team hired Justin Tenger as technical adviser, a role he had until 2004.
They were relegated from the Premier League in 2012 on goal difference after scoring 38 goals in 36 games. Thirteen of the goals were scored by
Sibi Gwar
Sibi Gwar (born 9 September 1987 in Gboko) is a Nigerian soccer, football player who plays for Nasarawa United F.C. in the Nigeria Premier League.
Early life
Gwar hails from Gboko in Konshisha, Konshisha local government area of Benue State and ...
who was the league's top scorer. They won promotion again in 2015 after winning the
Nigeria National League
The Nigerian National League (formerly known as ''National Division 1'') is the second tier of club football in Nigeria.
History
From 1997-2011, the league has been split into 1A for Northern teams and 1B for southern teams. The top two f ...
.
Niger Tornadoes were promoted back to the top division in 2015. Coach Abdullahi Biffo led them to a promotion spot which they clinched after defeating
Mighty Jets F.C.
Mighty Jets International FC is a Nigerian football club from Jos, playing in the Nigeria National League. They play at the Jos International Stadium, which has a capacity of 45,000.
History
They are one of only a half dozen active 'privately ...
2–0.
Niger Tornadoes were runners up in the
Nigerian FA Cup
The AITEO Cup (a.k.a. Challenge Cup, sometimes shortened to Fed Cup), is the main football single-elimination tournament in Nigeria contested by 74 teams, representing the 36 states + 1 FCT of Nigeria. It is the Nigerian domestic cup and the Ni ...
in 2017 after losing on penalties to
Akwa United
Akwa United Football Club is a Nigerian football club based in Uyo, Akwa Ibom. They play in the Nigeria Professional Football League, the first division of Nigerian football. The Godswill Akpabio International Stadium is the club's home stadium. ...
.
The club was fined N1 million in 2019 for crowd troubles in a game against
Bendel Insurance
Bendel Insurance Football Club, also known as Insurance of Benin Football Club or simply Bendel Insurance, is a football club based in Benin City, Nigeria. The club plays in the Nigeria Professional football league. They were originally known as ...
.
Achievements
*
Nigerian FA Cup
The AITEO Cup (a.k.a. Challenge Cup, sometimes shortened to Fed Cup), is the main football single-elimination tournament in Nigeria contested by 74 teams, representing the 36 states + 1 FCT of Nigeria. It is the Nigerian domestic cup and the Ni ...
: 1
::2000
*
National Second Division: 2
::1996, 2015
Performance in CAF competitions
*
CAF Cup Winners' Cup
The African Cup Winners' Cup was a football competition that started in 1975 and merged with the CAF Cup in 2004 to form the CAF Confederation Cup. It was a competition between the winning clubs of domestic cups in CAF-affiliated nations and w ...
: 1 appearance
::
2001
The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a multi-national coalition in an invasion of Afghanistan ...
– Quarter-finals
*
WAFU Club Championship
The West African Club Championship (UFOA Cup), also known as the General Eyadéma Cup, was a West African Club tournament from 1977 to 1999. It was open to league runners-up in the West Africa (or ''Zone 3'') region of the CAF. While the first mat ...
: 1 appearance
::
2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
– Quarter-finals
Current team
As of 11 February 2019
References
{{Nigerian Premier League
Football clubs in Nigeria
Association football clubs established in 1977
1977 establishments in Nigeria