The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Aliyu Abubakar

  • Katsina CP condemns bandit attack on Kankara General Hospital

    Katsina CP condemns bandit attack on Kankara General Hospital

     …launches a manhunt for the bandits

    The Commissioner of Police in Katsina State, Aliyu Abubakar, has condemned the recent bandit attack on Kankara General Hospital, describing it as senseless and unacceptable. 

    The attack, which left two healthcare workers injured and three others kidnapped, has drawn widespread concern. 

    In a press release signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Aliyu Sadiq, and shared with journalists in Katsina, the CP criticized the assault on healthcare workers and facilities, emphasizing the critical role they play in society. 

    The police assured the public of ongoing efforts to ensure the safe rescue of the abducted workers and bring the perpetrators to justice.

    He said: ”On January 14th, 2025, at about 2020 hrs, some suspected armed bandits armed with dangerous weapons, such as AK-47 rifles, shooting sporadically, attacked Kankara General Hospital”

    ”Upon receipt of the report, the DPO Kankara Divisional Police Headquarters promptly mobilised and responded to the scene where a gun duel ensued, resulting in the foiling of the attack”

    Read Also: India’s popular film actor Saif Ali Khan stabbed 6 times

    ”Unfortunately, two persons were shot and injured during the attack. One Dr. Murtala Saleh, m, age 30, a doctor at the hospital, was shot and injured on the right thigh, while one Kamala Suleiman, m, age 20, was injured on the knee. Both victims are currently receiving medical attention and are in stable condition.

    ”Also three persons were kidnapped by the bandits. Efforts are being made to ensure the unhurt rescue of the kidnapped victims as well as the arrest of the perpetrators of the dastardly act”

    ”Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Katsina State Command, CP Aliyu Abubakar Musa has ordered the deployment of additional operational assets to the scene for improved security and an intensified manhunt of the assailants”

    The PPRO assured that further development will be communicated to the public,in due course as the investigation proceeds.

  • ALIYU ABUBAKAR: Things I learnt from Ronaldo

    Burly defender and former youth international, Aliyu Abubakar, talks about fashion, fast cars and football in a rare interview with MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN. Enjoy…

    With the manner he pays attention to his physique and related finesses, Nigerian youngster Aliyu Abubakar is seemingly  taking after his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese forward who currently plies his trade with the Italian club, Juventus Football Club.

    Upon his signing for The Old Lady in the summer, the 33-year-old former Real Madrid striker reportedly has the physical capacity of a 20-year-old as doctors at the Turin-based club stated, among other things that Ronaldo has just seven per cent body fat – which is around three per cent less than the average professional. His muscle mass which stands  at 50 per cent was higher by around four per cent than the average professional player and the top sprint speed he recorded at the World Cup – 21.1 mph, a result he replicated during his medical – was quicker than any other player at the tournament.

    So, in a layman’s language, Ronaldo was in pretty good shape and he seems not to have aged in the past decade much to the delight of his growing army of fans.

    “From the start, I like everything about Cristiano Ronaldo, especially the way he looks after his body,” Abubakar, the 22-year-old former junior international who was in the Golden Eaglet class of 2013 that won FIFA U-17 World Cup in the UAE, told The Nation at the break of dawn in late September. “I’m simply in love with Ronaldo; and there was a time I was wearing his hair style until I saw my friend, Isaac Success, with dreadlocks after he joined Watford from Grenada.

    “The dreadlocks look cool on me but I have tried to keep mine in different styles. Success’ own is like Mohawk but I’ve kept mine on the punk side yeah.

    But Abubakar is not just a jolly copycat of some sort, with the rigorous manner he fine-tunes his own body which makes him look like a hulk amongst his contemporaries.

    “As far as my physique is concerned, I inherited it from my dad but I still have to work a lot in the gym to maintain a muscular look. I work hard on my own even after the training with the team and I do extra push-ups and gym workout before and after the training in order to keep my body in good shape.

    “On Ronaldo, I like his fighting spirit and he is a hardworking player on and off the pitch.

    “I love his passion and I have watched many of his interviews and documentaries; so I like everything about him. He is a kind of person that doesn’t care about what people say once he believes in his capabilities on what he wants to do and I can say I emulate that from him.”

    According to him, his fitness regimen is as simple as A-B-C:  “Everybody keep asking how I have managed to look young and fit but it’s a simple secret; every day, I tried as much as possible to sleep at least seven to eight hours.

    “Even I sleep during the day time and as often as I can. I do take naps of almost fifty-one hours.  The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is to play worship gospel songs and thank God for another beautiful day. I follow up with some stretching and some push-ups in order to set my day rolling.

    “I smile a lot. I love music and dancing, which is good for my system too. I play a lot but at the same time I try to stay focussed on my dreams.

    “I grew up in Kaduna in the midst of older people who taught me a lot. This really helped me to stay focussed and I remember those days that I had to go out and do some electrical work in order to get money for football shoes. That’s why I call myself a son of grace,” Abubakar, a Christian stated.

    Of course, Abubakar has an impressive wardrobe and the Kaduna-raised dude can be likened to a dream guy that has taste for good things of life.

    “Oh! I love to look smart, very smart always, but my greatest weakness is shoes; I’m a shoe freak,” stated Abubakar who wears size 44. “In fact, I cannot count the pairs of shoes that I have presently because they are just too many and I still have many still stored away in my home in Finland.

    “My style of dressing is unique because I dress according to the occasion; where I’m going to and the kind of people I’m going to meet naturally determines the kind of attire I’ll put on.

    “I don’t just put on any cloth; I’ll first imagine how the dress would fit me before putting them on me.

    I do my shopping every month and if possible after every two weeks but I don’t do yearly.

    “Of course, my favourite colours are red and black. I choose red and black because it usually looks cool on me. Red and black are unique colours; red makes you to look different and black can go with anything.

    “These are things that have been part of me; I love shoes, fashion, nice house and good cars.

    I have one car in Nigeria but I have Mazda CX7 2010 model. The kinds of cars I want to drive in the future are Bugatti, Rolls Royce, Lamborghini and Escalade.

    “As far as music is concerned, I have liked Davido right from day one and he’s one of my favourite artists. I also love Kranium, 2Pac and lots of gospel artists. I’m a lover of good music and what I listen to depends on my mood. I love dancing and most often I dance before going for matches since I get my motivation from that.”

    Of course, Abubakar is quite aware that good life is not only about material possession and he explained he derives maximum joy by touching lives especially that of the less-privileged class.

    He offered: “One of the things that give me joy is helping people if I have the opportunity. I try my best possible to visit widows and orphanages anytime I’m on vacation in Nigeria.

    “My mother is also the joy of my life; my dad is late and may his soul rest in peace. We lost him in 2011 and my mom has been a great support to me. She lives in Kaduna and I really want to do everything to make her happy. In fact, I have a surprise for her and this will be done when I’m in Nigeria.” Currently attached to Slutsk in the Belarussian First League, the burly defender has improved greatly since he arrived in Europe in 2014, few months after his qualities came to the fore in the heart of the Nigerian defence during the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

    “Well, by the grace of God, I was able to take my career to the next level and since after the U-17 championship in the UAE, I have only played once for a youth team and that was in Israel with Ashdod, which was just for three months,” he revealed.

    “Thereafter, I was promoted to the first team where I played a couple of games before leaving Israel for Finland where I had wonderful moment with KuPS.

    “It was not as if it was rosy from the start and I remember when I had issues with an agent which eventually cost me the opportunity of playing for the flying Eagles at the African U-20 Championship in Senegal.

    “But I think it was also part of things that helped me to grow and become what I’m today because I learned to fight and believe in myself.

    “I’m enjoying myself here in Belarus and the reason I joined Slutsk is because it’s at different level compared to Finland.

    “It is an opportunity to develop my career better because the bigger the league, the bigger the challenge.

    “I played for two years in Finland and had my best moment during the first season in 2016.

    “Altogether, I have played in Israel with Ashdod; in Finland with KuPS, from where I later moved to Georgia with Dila Gori and back to Finland with PS Kemi before finally getting to Belarus with Slutsk.”

    With two recent Man-of-the-Match awards with Slutsk, Abubakar admitted the Belarussian First League club has given him a veritable platform to perform at his optimum best, adding that everything is looking up for him.

    “I want to continue to improve myself and coming down here to Belarus has really helped shape up my game,” he volunteered.

    “I want to do my best here and who knows who is watching.

    “ Of course, I would love to move to a bigger league in Europe one day but my attention now is with Slutsk and if I can be consistent, I guess the opportunity of playing for our national team will come very soon.”

    ABUBAKAR ACCURATELY

    On dream destination

    I will love to go to the Caribbean and just chill out during the off season. I have heard a lot about the Caribbean and it would be great to visit there; to explore the beaches and see how what it is like living in that region. I wouldn’t say that is where I would love to have my honeymoon when I get married. I will let who ever I marry to decide that. When the time comes, I will let the woman decide where she wants her dream honeymoon to take place.

     

    On dream cars

    The kinds of cars I want to drive in the future are Bugatti, Rolls Royce, Lamborghini and Escalade.  I have one car in Nigeria but I have Mazda CX7 2010 model. I love the Mazda because it’s a fast car turbo 2.3 and it’s a high car as well, that’s why I like it very strong.

     

    On his humble beginning

    The person who bought my first football shoes was Mr. Friday Yusuf Bashayi.This is one person who never gave up on me. Though he’s a bouncer, he follows me to almost anywhere I want to go and play football. My parents too supported me, especially my mom who regularly bought soccer shoes for me. It’s  just  amazing to have these  two people at the early stage of my life and not also forgetting my sister; Miriam Abubakar.

  • ‘85% of mad people in Nigeria are youths’

    Dr Aliyu Abubakar of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, has said that the youths account for about 85 per cent of mad people in Nigeria.

    Abubakar made the remark in a paper he presented at a sensitisation workshop for youths organised by Bizara Youth Development Association in Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the paper is entitled: “Drug Abuse in Nigeria: Causes, Effects and Solutions.”

    Abubakar said: “According to a recent study, 85 per cent of mad people in Nigeria are youths within the age bracket of 18-38 years.

    “The major cause of mental challenge in Nigeria has gone beyond drug-abuse as the youths now inhale lizard feces, putting their noses into pit toilets, smoking matches, smoking dried horse feces and mixing lizard feces with dye powder.

    “Drug abuse disorder is a common problem affecting about 5 per cent of the of the world population with an estimated 10.2 per cent in the USA.”

    He recalled that in Nigeria, it was recently reported that about three million bottles of cough syrup containing codeine is consumed daily in Kano State and about six million bottles consumed in the North-West.

    Abubakar added that in 2016, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency reported that about 40 per cent of Nigerian youths engaged in drug-abuse.

    The medical doctor stressed that the consequences of drug-abuse include mental disorder, liver cirrhosis, lethargy and cardiovascular disorder among others.

    Abubakar added those those abusing drugs mostly drop out of school, engage in cultism, violence, arm-robbery, thuggery, rape, lawlessness, murders and are culturally disorientated.

    Read Also: Desist from illicit drugs, sex, youths told

    In his speech, the Chairman, Bizara Youth Development Association, Malam Yahaya Nuhu advised parents to draw their children closer to monitor their movement and those they relate with.

    He advised government to introduce stiffer penalties against drug-dealers, fish them out and punish them accordingly.

    Nuhu advised the youths to be cautious of peer group influence and always ensure that they serve as worthy ambassadors of their families and communities.

    “Members of the society also have a role to play towards curbing the menace the of drug-abuse, especially by monitoring activities of the youths.

    “Additionally, community members can advise parents where necessary, and also supply vital information to relevant authorities for prompt action.”

  • Court convicts 87-year-old woman of drug trafficking

    Court convicts 87-year-old woman of drug trafficking

    Justice Hadiza Rabiu-Shagari of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on Thursday convicted an 87 year-old woman, Maria Seriki, of  dealing in 10.3 kg of Cannabis Sativa.

    The judge, however, ordered that the convict be remanded at the Lagos State Old People’s Home, pending the time a member of her family, willing to take proper care of her, applied to the court for her custody.

    The convict, a resident of Oto-Awori, in Ijanikin, Lagos, had on Nov. 7, pleaded guilty to a one count charge of trafficking 10.3kg of Cannabis,  also known as hemp.

    She was arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA ).

    After her plea, the prosecutor, Mr Aliyu Abubakar, had urged the court to adjourn the matter, for a review of the fact of the case.

    At the resumed hearing of the case, the prosecutor tendered some exhibits which included the convict’s statements, a drug test analysis and the bulk of the substance seized from her, which were admitted as exhibits by the court.

    After admitting the exhibits, the court pronounced the 87 years old woman, convicted as charged.

    However, the convict’s lawyer, Mr Prosper Ojakovo, in his plea for mercy of the convict , urged the court to be lenient in sentencing her.

    He told the court that she was a first time offender, who had nobody to take care of her.

    He pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, and consider her age in sentencing.

    In her judgment, Shagari stated that sending her to prison would not be of any benefit, especially considering her age.

    The judge, consequently ordered that the convict be remanded at the Lagos State Old People’s Home, Yaba.

    In another matter, Shagari sentenced a 56-year-old woman, Anya Nneoma, to 12 months imprisonment, for unlawfully dealing in 5.5 kg of hemp.

    Anya, a resident of Badagry, had also pleaded guilty on a charge of illegal dealing in hemp.

    The judge said the convict should be sent to the female section of the kirikiri Prisons, Lagos.

    NAN

  • ALIYU ABUBAKAR: I want to follow Mikel’s footsteps

    ALIYU ABUBAKAR: I want to follow Mikel’s footsteps

    Four years after helping Nigeria to clinch her fourth FIFA U-17 World Cup title in the UAE, Aliyu Abubakar believes it’s just about time that he featured for the Super Eagles with some strong showing at FC Dila Sori in Georgia.

    Built like a tank, you can’t miss out Abubakar, and his presence reminds one about the towering Uche Okechukwu – the Gentle Giant – in the heart of the Super Eagles’ defence in the 1990s.

    “One of the players I admire so much is Uche Okechukwu and I have  watched some of his tapes while he was playing for the Super Eagles with all other big boys like the late Stephen Keshi, Sunday Oliseh, Daniel Amokachi but John Mikel Obi is my super hero and mentor,” Abubakar  told The Nation.

    “There are so many reasons I love Mikel. He’s a player with quality, great personality, fighter, winner and a leader. I have the opportunity of speaking to him and have also had the opportunity of watching him closely at the national team  and he has always been a big motivator for me.

    “One day, I hope I can follow on his footsteps in the national team . Presently, I’m really excited about the progress I’m making in Europe and I believe I’m ready anytime I’m giving opportunity to play for the Super Eagles,” he remarked.

    They say impossibility is nothing and Abubakar’s fledging career is indeed a study in perseverance after he made the cut to represent Nigeria at the youth level in 2013. He was just one of the many boys under coach Manu Garba at the start of his career in the national team, but with several key players missing out after the mandatory Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Test, the bulky lad played himself into the team and fitted in like gloves in the hands of a professional boxer.

    “Though I was invited to the U-17 camp from Mutunchi Football Academy FC in Kaduna, I told myself that ‘ I’m going to push and fight my way into the World Cup squad’. And with focus, hard work and prayers, God guided me through,” Abubakar now says. “It was difficult at first because I met talented players in the camp who had already been together for some time and lived like one big family. The first player who welcomed me with open hands was Isaac success who is now with Watford in England.

    “But apart from the coaching crew, two other people that helped me maintain stability in the team were the doctor (Deji Olarinoye) and media officer (Morakinyo Abodunrin) and they really pushed me hard when my game was dropping because they kept reminding me that ‘you have the quality and you can’t afford to be lazy’ and I really appreciate the contributions of these people in my life.”

    Abubakar was such a humble kid at heart and it was there for all to see that he was willing and ready to learn but it was at the World Cup in the UAE that he virtually exploded and he played all the seven matches as the Nigerian youngsters shone like neon lights in the dark by winning the U-17 World Cup.

    “One of the best moments of my life was being part of the Golden Eaglets squad to the World Cup in 2013,” admitted Abubakar, the 21-year-old centre-back with FC Dila Sori.

    “The coaches and the backroom staff, the secretary (Tayo Egbaiyelo); kits manager (Muhammed Kafa) and coordinator (Suleiman Abubakar), as well as the doctor and media officer impacted so much on me. All these amazing people left their respective families and gave their positive energy always to me through the journey.

    “ I have also had the opportunity of playing in the national U-20 team but it was not the same experience as when I was with the U-17. But what makes me strong as a person is that I’m not afraid of facing challenges since this is what every great player has to face. The race is not to the fittest, but with prayers and endurance God has been helping my career.”

    Abubakar said humility and the will to be the best has long been his rule of life, explaining that playing in Finland en route to Georgia has prepared him for future challenges.

    “It has been a while since I moved  Europe and I’m getting better  every season,” he stated. “Up till last season, I played in Finland with Kups F.C and where I played almost 30 matches before moving to Dila FC in Georgia this season.

    “Playing at Kups helped me a lot since I had the opportunity of mixing with more experienced players. I was one of the younger ones in the team. I was always pushing to do more for the team and I was not surprised when an offer to move to Dila came.

    “Switching from Finland to Georgia was not easy. I love new challenges because it helps me to know how strong I have developed and I always want to learn new things. In fact, the coach at Dila told me ‘ I will help you to develop more and move your career to the next level’ and this has been a great motivation for me,” he remarked.

  • Malabu oil scam: FG seeks arrest warrant against Adoke

    The Federal Government on Monday approached the Federal High Court, Abuja, to seek guidance on whether it could make an oral application for issuance of warrant of arrest against former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Mohammed Adoke.

    The warrant was in relation to charges filed against two multinational oil firms, and others including Adoke in connection to an alleged $1.1billion Malabu Oil scam

    When the matter was called, counsel to the Federal Government, Mr Johnson Ojogbane, told the court that the defendants were not in court because they were not yet served with court processes.

    Ojogbane who is prosecuting for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said that he had been unable to serve them particularly Adoke because he was not in the country.

    “We have been unable to serve the defendants in this case particularly the first defendant, because we have been told that he is outside the jurisdiction of this court; outside the country actually.

    “So I will appreciate if my lord will guide me, because I actually wanted to make an application for a warrant of arrest, so I want to know if I can do that orally or come by way of a motion,” Ojogbane said.

    He maintained that the EFCC had powers to arrest anyone anywhere, but since Adoke was outside the jurisdiction of the court, they required a warrant of arrest to bring him into the country.

    He said that if the court gave the order for a warrant of arrest, it could be endorsed to the International Police (Interpol) who would begin the process of extradition.

    The judge, Justice John Tsoho, however, said that such an application could not be brought orally before the court.

    According to Tsoho, if he is already before the court and is attempting to escape trial, then the court could issue a warrant for his arrest.

    “If he was already arraigned before the court and was trying to run away, then we can issue a warrant, but it is still under investigation, the court cannot make such an order.

    Tsoho adjourned the matter till June 13 for arraignment.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the EFCC in December 2016, charged nine suspects, including Adoke, over the purchase of OPL 245.

    Adoke was accused of illegally transferring more than $800 million, purportedly meant for the purchase of the OPL 245 to Dan Etete, Malabu Oil.

    The Federal Government also on March 2 filed fresh charges against Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Limited and Agip Nigeria Exploration Limited for alleged complicity in the Malabu $1.1 billion scandal.

    Adoke, Etete, Aliyu Abubakar, ENI Spa, Ralph Wetzels, Casula Roberto, Pujatti Stefeno, Burrafati Sebestiano, and Malabu Oil and Gas were charged alongside the two multinational oil firms.

  • Police to pay N2m to three persons over unlawful detention

    The Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has ordered the Police to pay N2 million as exemplary damages to three persons unlawfully arrested and detained for 19 months.

    The three persons, Idris Abubakar, Anas Abubakar and Aliyu Abubakar, instituted the case against the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

    Also joined in the suit No. FHC/KD/CS/22/2016 were the Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State and the Divisional Police Officer, Kabala Police Station.

    The complainants said that they were arrested by the police for alleged theft and were detained for six days, after which the police claimed that they were members of Boko Haram.

    The complainants said since their arrest, they were neither released nor taken to court, adding that their lawyers and relatives were denied access to them.

    In his judgment, Justice Emeka Nwite, after hearing arguments from Counsel to the applicants, Baba Lawal-Aliyu and that of the respondents, E C Enwelum, ruled that the continued detention of the applicants violated their fundamental human rights.

    He also ruled that the police had not provided any evidence to warrant their long detention or assertion that the three were members of the Boko Haram.

    The judge dismissed the confessional statement tendered by the police in which the applicants confessed to being members of the insurgent group, saying that the document was not admissible in law.

    “Again, they said incriminating items were recovered from the applicants buttressing that they are Boko Haram sect members.

    “Not only the applicants denied having any incriminating objects when they were arrested but the respondents did not exhibit any of the incriminating objects to buttress their claims,” Justice Nwite noted.

    “In view of the foregoing analysis, I am of the view and so hold that in the said detention of the applicants, the police violated Section 35(5) (B) and 36 of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended),’’ he ruled.

    The judge, therefore, ordered the production of the applicants before the court or an outright release from police detention.

    He also awarded N2 million as exemplary damages against the police for unlawful arrest and detention of the applicants, and another N50,000 against the respondent in favour of the applicants.

    “I hereby make an order enforcing the applicants fundamental rights as guaranteed by Section 34, 35 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended,’’ he added.

     

  • Aliyu Abubakar chased by Serie A club

    Aliyu Abubakar chased by Serie A club

    Allnigeriasoccer.com understands that Nigeria youth international Aliyu Abubakar is in advanced talks with an unnamed Italian Serie A side, and there is a strong possibility that the defender will pen a deal with the club in the winter transfer market.

    Subject to a successful visa application, the former Golden Eaglets star will jet out to Italy in the next two weeks to complete his transfer to the unnamed club.

    The 19-year-old Abubakar cut all ties with Israeli team MS Ashdod at the end of the 2014-15 season following their demotion to the Liga Leumit, though there was an option to extend his contract by two and a half more years.

    After the 2013 Fifa Under 17 World Cup, the teenager was linked with possible moves to Sevilla, Granada, Dinamo Minsk, Malmo and Anderlecht prior to his switch to the Dolphins.

    A defensive midfielder by trade, he was converted to a defender by the national team handlers.

  • ALIYU ABUBAKAR – ‘Keshi may force me to sign for Anderlecht

    ALIYU ABUBAKAR – ‘Keshi may force me to sign for Anderlecht

    ALIYU Abubakar, junior Nigerian International and a member of the 2013 FIFA Under-17 World Cup-winning squad in 2013, is seriously weighing the chances of joining Anderlecht to follow the legend of his illustrious compatriot, Stephen Keshi at the Belgian club.

    Presently on trials at Spanish club, Granada, the burly defensive midfielder said he was impressed with the reputation carved out by the big boss at the Belgian club so much so, he might eventually pitch his tent there.

    Born June 15, 1996, Abubakar cut his teeth at Mutunchi Football Academy in Kaduna and hails from Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State. He  is called ‘handsome Ali’  back home but on the pitch he’s referred to ‘access Ali’  for his ability to provide passes to open up the rear of opposing defences and it on the strength of this that  he hopes to access his professional soccer career.

    “I already have a pre- contract (with Anderlecht) but my agent I and want to have more options before the opening of the transfer window in January,” Abubakar told The Nation Sport & Style. “In fact, I really like Anderlecht because they encourage young players and they respect me as a junior Nigeria’s national team player.

    “Apart from that, I like the club because present Super Eagles’ coach, Stephen Keshi also played for Anderlecht in the past; officials of the club told me and showed me his pictures. They told me he was   one of their great players during his time and they were happy to have him because was very hard working r and very disciplined.

    “My aspirations is to  hard work like him even more so as to  make good name like him and achieve a lot for my country so that I can be remember like him,” enthused  the cherubic-looking  Abubakar . Excerpts…

    It is almost one year that Nigeria won the Under-17 World Cup, how has it been with you?

    It has been so great with me because I thank God I have the opportunity to be call to the national u-20 cam and I play some game under my great coaches that we won the Under-17 and the information they taught help me everywhere I go to play and the advice me a lot how to go with my football life

    Great, the Under-20 team has qualified for the tournament in Senegal, what are you looking forward to?

    Winning the cup was no easy but I knew with the information of our great coaches and with the hard work and now we are more mature in the game now because almost all of us by the grace of God have the opportunity to play outside Nigeria and we also learned a lot. I know we can bring joy to Nigeria again at the Under-20 level.

    On a personal note, how has it been with you?

    It has been so great with me and I bless God because I’m strong and okay. I’m still undergoing trials here with Grenada and working hard for my future. I know it is a matter of time before I would join a club and I’m working hard to make it

    Apart from football, what other things do you like?

    Schooling and education

    What course would you have read or would like to read?

    Economics

    Why Economics?

    That’s my best subject in school

    Would your football career not affect your schooling?

    No

    Is schooling tied with your contract with Anderlecht?

    My agent is on that

    Okay, how did you feel about President Jonathan National Awards for the 2013 World Cup-winning Golden Eaglets?

    I feel so great and happy

    Tell us some few things about yourself?

    I’m  very strong when things are not going very well I encourage myself to stay focused and strong till I get the best and I love making new friends to learn from them

    I know you like music, I’m right?

    Yes, very much

    So what kind of music do you like?

    Nigeria’s   R& B; Hip-pop and gospel music

    Who is your favourite artist?

    Davido

    Why Davido and is there any particular track you like?

    I simply just like Davido and I like ‘Skelewu.’

    Tell me about your family background?

    I’m from family with five children- two boys; three girls and I’m the last born

    What is so special about being a last born?

    Everybody in the house take care of you more  and they even  pet me  more because I lost my dad two years back

    You are gradually becoming a big boy, how are you coping with the death of your dad?

    Well I give all the glory for wear God is taking me to because God is really using me in the family as my dad is no more

    What are the things you missed about him?

    Everything about him because he was my best friend. I pray God help me to keep his name going at the back of my jersey because I own him that

    What were the things your dad used to tell you?

    That if I want to be great, I have to be focused. That I should always pray to God

    Who are your role your models

    John Mikel O bi and Thiago Silva

    What are the things you like about Mikel?

    He’s very strong on the ball and I like his vision because he can give long range passes

    How do you feel with the criticisms against Mikel and why is he your role Model

    Think this is football is not every time things go the way we want and every human been want to be the best Mikel is a gr8 player and he achieve allot in his carrier for him to be In one of the best club in the word for long is not easy and I see Mikel as a player that don’t run from challenges but stay and fight to the end

    What are the things you like about yourself?

    I love myself because I’m very discipline and humble

    Tell us things you have not told the media before?

    I really want to thank our entire official in the under-17 because they made Aliyu Abubakar what he is today. A very big thanks to Coach Manu Garba and Sir Paulo (coach Nduka

  • Aliyu Abubakar tries out at Anderlecht

    Aliyu Abubakar tries out at Anderlecht

    Nigeria U-20 defender Aliyu Abubakar is currently undergoing trials at Belgian top guns Anderlecht.

    The big central defender or defensive midfielder featured at last year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, where Nigeria clinched a record fourth championship.

    An ever-present at this tournament, Abubakar is strong in the tackle and aerially as well as has a good technique.

    Last season, Anderlecht won the 33rd Belgian league championship. They gave the likes of Stephen Keshi and Celestine Babayaro their big break in Europe.

    Abubakar, who clocked 18 in June, has already undergone trails in Sweden and Ukraine.

    It is believed he is now working with a new management.