El-Kanemi Warriors, a prominent team in the Nigeria Premier League, is grappling with a significant financial burden following the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) rejection of their proposed home venues for the CAF Confederation Cup preliminary rounds. The team, based in Maiduguri, Borno State, now faces the prospect of incurring substantial expenses to host their upcoming match against Dadje FC from Benin Republic.
Initially, El-Kanemi Warriors had hoped to use their home stadium in Maiduguri for their continental fixtures. However, CAF’s preliminary inspection deemed the venue unsuitable for the competition. Consequently, the team sought alternative venues, registering the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja as their primary choice and the Mobolaji Johnson Arena (MJA) in Lagos as a backup.
In a recent development, CAF has rejected both the MKO Abiola Stadium and the MJA. Instead, the Confederation has directed El-Kanemi to play their preliminary round match at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State. This decision has been met with considerable dissatisfaction from stakeholders, particularly Sainna Buba, the Commissioner of Sports for Borno State.
Buba expressed frustration over the lack of a suitable stadium in northern Nigeria for such high-profile continental matches. He highlighted the substantial costs associated with the new venue directive, estimating that the total expense for using the Remo Stars Stadium could range between 5 to 6 million Naira. This cost includes transportation, accommodation, and the payment for stadium usage.
“The past few days we have been battling to see how we can change this as they have released a bulletin that we will play in Remo (Ikenne),” Buba lamented. “And playing there we have to pay 5-6 million naira before we can use the stadium, so we are trying to sort out many things at the moment. It is unfortunate that throughout the North there is no stadium that can host us.”
This unexpected development places a considerable financial strain on El-Kanemi Warriors, affecting not only their budget but also their logistical arrangements. The club and its stakeholders are now working to manage the financial implications of this decision while ensuring that the team is adequately prepared for their continental clash.
The situation underscores the broader issue of infrastructure and facility readiness in Nigerian football, particularly for international competitions. As El-Kanemi Warriors navigate this challenging scenario, the broader football community will be watching closely to see how this impacts their performance and operational capacity.
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