Nigerian striker, Abubakar Lawal, joins Vipers of Uganda from AS Kigali

A former Nigerian junior international, Abubakar Lawal, has joined Ugandan Premier League champions, Vipers from AS Kigali in a two-year deal.

The former Kano Pillars striker who signed for AS Kigali in 2010 helped the club to win the 2022 Rwanda Federation Cup, which qualified the Central African side for next year’s CAF Confederation Cup.

• Experts worry as Nigeria becomes 6th most populous country
• Africa’s illicit financial flows now $80bn – CDD

Apart from winning the FA Cup with AS Kigali, he scored eight goals and provided 10 assists as his former club ended the league season in third place behind APR and Kiyovu Sports.

Lawal who was an integral member of the Flying Eagles under coach Manu Garba is presently on holiday in Sokoto but will soon return to Kampala to join his new team mates as they prepare for the new league season and the CAF Champions League.

The fleet-footed striker told Daily Trust that he was having a swell time in Rwanda but the offer from Vipers of Uganda was too attractive to turn down.

According to him, the whiff of Champions League football with the Ugandan giants was another motivation for him to make the switch.

“After two successful years at AS Kigali, I decided it was time to look for higher challenges elsewhere and vipers of Uganda is the right place at least for now.

“Without a doubt, they are one of the biggest clubs in Africa and also very ambitious. Furthermore, they offered me the opportunity to make my debut in the prestigious CAF Champions League.

“Other clubs had indicated interest in me but Vipers were more convincing so I had no doubts whatsoever that I was making the right decision by agreeing to join them”.