Tijani Kabiru: 100 NPFL games, and a milestone against an old club

Ranchers Bees midfielder Tijani Kabiru has reached 100 NPFL appearances, and the milestone came in the 1-0 win over Enyimba, the club he won the league title with in 2022/23.

The Matchday 12 win in Minna was settled by Chiedozie Jude Okorie's long-range strike late in the first half. Ranchers Bees marked the moment on their X account on 9 November.

“Congratulations to Tijani Kabiru on reaching 100 appearances in the NPFL during our victory over Enyimba.”

From Aba to Ibadan to Minna

Kabiru was part of the Enyimba side that won the 2022/23 title, adding to the nine-time champions' long list of league crowns. He later moved to Shooting Stars, and joined Ranchers Bees from the Ibadan club in August 2026, as the Minna side returned to the top flight.

He has spoken warmly about his time at Enyimba, Complete Sports reported, which made this occasion an unusual one: a personal landmark reached by beating his old club.

Analysis: a promoted side's kind of signing

A hundred top-flight games is a significant number in a league where players move on often. For a newly promoted side, a midfielder with a title medal and that much NPFL experience is exactly the kind of signing that helps a squad cope with the step up.

The result says as much. Beating Enyimba, the league's most decorated club, is a statement for any team, and for Ranchers Bees it came at home, where NPFL sides have been so hard to beat this season.

For Enyimba, it was another setback in a season that has so far belonged to others, with Enugu Rangers leading the way after a crowded race at the top in the early rounds. Kabiru's next target is helping Ranchers Bees turn a famous win into a run of them.