Insurance deepens Enyimba crisis as woes continue

Kano Pillars and defending Nigeria Premier Football League champions Remo Stars will face off in a high-stakes relegation six-pointer on Sunday as both clubs battle to halt alarming declines in form.

The clash is scheduled for 3:30 pm at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano, with live coverage on NPFL Live and Propel Sports.

Alhassan Mustapha will officiate the encounter, assisted by Jerry Jimmy Pam and Peter Bwamba, while Abdulganiyu Abdulmalik serves as fourth official. Remo Stars will be without suspended midfielder Fabian Nworie.

Separated by just one point after 24 matches, both sides are marooned in unfamiliar territory near the foot of the table. Remo Stars sit 18th with 26 points, while four-time champions Kano Pillars are 19th on 25 points.

Champions in Free Fall

Remo Stars arrive in Kano under intense scrutiny after a dramatic collapse that has defined their 2025/26 campaign. Monday’s 2–1 defeat to Plateau United marked their 14th loss of the season, leaving the champions firmly entrenched in the relegation zone.

The Sky Blue Stars amassed 71 points to lift the title barely nine months ago, losing just nine games all season. This term, they have already surpassed that figure with 14 defeats, despite having 14 matches still to play.

Their decline has been underlined by defensive frailty and a lack of cutting edge, conceding 30 goals while scoring only 22. Remo are winless in their last four league outings, have failed to keep a clean sheet in that run, and have conceded first in six of their last seven matches.

Pillars Seek Home Response

Kano Pillars are also searching for stability after suffering a 2–0 defeat to Rangers in Enugu last weekend. Technical adviser Muhammed Babaganaru attributed the loss to tactical indiscipline but remains confident of survival.

He urged his players to stay focused and committed, insisting the relegation battle is still wide open.

Head-to-Head Offers Remo Hope

Recent meetings favour Remo Stars, who have won four of the last five league encounters, including a 1–0 victory in November 2025. They have also opened the scoring in four of those matches.

Pillars have managed just one win during that stretch and have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last six meetings with the champions.

However, Sunday’s contest carries a vastly different narrative, with both sides scrambling for survival rather than silverware.

Once hailed as a benchmark for structure and long-term planning in Nigerian football, Remo Stars must urgently rediscover composure and resilience. Kano Pillars, meanwhile, will rely on home support to revive belief as the relegation fight intensifies.

Insurance deepens Enyimba’s misery

Elsewhere, Bendel Insurance compounded Enyimba’s woes with a commanding 2–0 victory at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin, extending a difficult run for the nine-time Nigerian champions.

Oweilayefa Alex opened the scoring in the 26th minute, finishing confidently after sustained early pressure from the hosts.

Any hopes of a comeback were extinguished in the 79th minute when 16-year-old Efe Ubiomo marked his debut with a composed finish to double Insurance’s advantage.

The result further dents Enyimba’s fading campaign, which began with title ambitions. The Peoples Elephant have now won just one of their last six matches and sit 12th on the table with 31 points from 25 games.

Insurance controlled possession and dictated the tempo throughout, while Enyimba struggled to respond. Emmanuel Akpan was forced off through injury in the 38th minute and replaced by Chikatara Chisom, but the change failed to disrupt the home side’s dominance.