Super Eagles forward Sadiq Umar, alongside the current House of Representatives member for Kaduna North, Bello El-Rufai, has officially acquired Ranchers Bees FC, the historic football club based in Kaduna. A statement posted on El-Rufai’s X account read, “Super Eagles striker and Real Sociedad forward, Sadiq Umar, alongside Hon. Bello El-Rufai, have officially acquired Ranchers Bees FC, a traditional name in Nigerian football history that has produced several former internationals and boasts a rich legacy in the Kaduna football scene.”
The team is set to compete in the Nigeria National League (NNL) in the upcoming season. Speaking about the acquisition, Sadiq Umar, expressed his excitement about reviving the club’s glory days. “My partner, Hon. Bello El-Rufai, and I want to return the club to its former glory. Growing up, I watched Ranchers Bees of Kaduna, a club that produced countless players. It’s a source of pride and joy for us to be the bona fide owners of the club,” Sadiq stated. The new owners have ambitious plans, with Ranchers Bees FC fielding both an academy team and a professional side for the NNL campaign.
“Our target is to secure promotion to the NPFL. I’m thrilled by the feedback from Ranchers Bees supporters and the people of Kaduna. We will bring back the old memories of the club and return the fans to the stadium,” Sadiq added. Nura Abdullahi, a former teammate of the striker, has been appointed the new president of the club. Ranchers Bees was a household name in Nigerian football during the early 1990s, producing top players like Daniel Amokachi, Dominic Iorfa, and Davidson Owumi. They won the WAFU Cup in 1993 but fell into obscurity afterwards.
