By Ado Salisu
About 70 percent of players in the Kano Pillars Basketball Team have reportedly abandoned their camp following allegations of poor treatment by the management of the Kano State Sports Commission.
The development comes at a critical time for the team, which had recently secured qualification for the next stage of the Nigerian Premier Basketball League organized by the Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF).
Despite that achievement, the club is now engulfed in a deep financial crisis that has disrupted its preparations and destabilized team activities.
Sources within the camp suggest that the players’ decision to leave was driven by unresolved issues relating to welfare, including delayed payments and lack of adequate support for training and logistics.
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The situation has raised fresh concerns about the sustainability of the team’s progress and the broader challenges facing sports administration in the state.
Further investigation revealed that despite the club’s encouraging performance in the first phase of the league held in Jos, Plateau State, where they secured qualification for the second stage scheduled to take place in Minna, Niger State on June 17, 2026, the players still abandoned the camp in protest over alleged ill-treatment.
Findings also indicate that even during the opening stage of the competition in Jos, the team reportedly struggled with funding challenges, forcing the management to borrow money in order to cover travel, accommodation, and other logistical expenses due to the delayed release of funds from the Kano State Government.
The situation has further highlighted the financial constraints and administrative difficulties surrounding the club’s participation in the league, raising concerns about its readiness for the upcoming stage of the competition.
A source confirmed that as at yesterday Sunday 7, 2026, seventy percent of the players had left the team’s camp to their various destinations, since, according to them there is no sign of relief and improvement from the state sports commission led by Dr. Murtala Musa Dagumawa.
”It’s very unfortunate just few days to the second phase of the league in Minna, we are yet to receive our allowances and other entitlements, talkless of making proper arrangements ahead of the league.”
”Kano Pillars has won several league trophies in Nigeria and excelled in West Africa Zone 3 qualifiers as well as in FIBA Africa clubs championship in the past, but now we cannot even prepare well for Savannah conferences,” the source explained.
He, however, called on Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to, as a matter of urgency, intervene in the situation with a view to finding a lasting solution for the club and sports generally in the state.
When contacted, the acting chairman of Kano state sports commission, Dr. Murtala Musa Dagumawa confirms the non release of fund but quickly assures that the state government will soon overcome the challenge.
On the issues of players desertion, he said that he is not aware that any player left the camp because the commission, which is always in liaison with the club secretary on the players situation, did not get any such report.
