Babaganaru Returns! Kano Pillars Reappoint Title-Winning Coach After Ogenyi’s Suspension

Kano Pillars have reinstated seasoned tactician Muhammad Babaganaru as their acting Technical Adviser following the suspension of head coach Evans Ogenyi and his assistant Ahmed Garba Yaro, due to the team’s disappointing performance in the ongoing 2025/2026 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season.

According to reports from Ireporter Online, the club confirmed Babaganaru’s return in a statement on Tuesday, adding that he would assume duties immediately as the management seeks to restore the team’s form and morale.

“The management of Kano Pillars FC wishes to announce the appointment of Muhammad Babaganaru as the acting Technical Adviser of the club. He will resume with immediate effect. We wish Coach Babaganaru success in his new role as he leads the Sai Masu Gida in the upcoming fixtures,” the club’s statement read.

Babaganaru’s return marks a homecoming for the highly respected coach, who previously led the Sai Masu Gida to back-to-back NPFL titles in the 2011/12 and 2012/13 seasons, a period widely regarded as one of the club’s golden eras. His reappointment is viewed as a strategic move to steady the ship and restore confidence to a side that has struggled to find consistency since the start of the campaign.

The Pillars’ current predicament is evident in their statistics — just two wins, two draws, and four defeats from eight games, leaving them 18th on the NPFL table. Their most recent setback was a 2–1 defeat to city rivals Barau FC in a closed-door encounter at the Sani Abacha Stadium, a loss that reportedly sealed Ogenyi’s dismissal.

Prior to Babaganaru’s appointment, assistant coach Gambo Muhammad had been temporarily placed in charge alongside goalkeeping coach Suleiman Shuaibu and youth coach Garzali Muhammad. However, the club’s management has now turned to Babaganaru’s experience in hopes of a quick turnaround.

It has been a turbulent period for the four-time NPFL champions, who earlier this month were fined ₦9.5 million, docked three points, and ordered to relocate their home matches to Katsina after crowd trouble disrupted their fixture against Shooting Stars.

With only eight points from eight matches, Babaganaru faces a daunting task as he looks to reignite Kano Pillars’ season. His first test will come when the team hosts Niger Tornadoes in Katsina, followed by a tough away trip to Remo Stars in Ikenne.