It’s the longest unbeaten run in the top flight of Nigeria’s club football. Thirteen games played in the season; seven won, the others drawn.
The honours belong to no other club that the Benin Arsenal (officially Bendel Insurance)! Until they struggled to four straight draws in their last four matches, the 51-year-old club’s position at the apex of Group A of this season’s Nigeria Premier League (NPL) appeared unassailable.
One of the early teams in the NPL when they were known as Vipers, Insurance disappeared from the radar somewhere in their history but reappeared at the end of last season after gaining promotion from the Nigeria National League (NNL) with three matches to end the term.
Before then, Insurance last featured in the NPL in the 2018/19 season which – like the current season – was divided into two sections. Also like this season, the Benin City side were in Group A, but unlike now, they finished on top of the relegated four in that group, which also featured Kwara United, Niger Tornadoes and Remo Stars. All four teams, together with El-Kanemi Warriors, Gombe United, Go Round FC and Yobe Desert Stars in Group B, were relegated to the NNL for the 2019/20 season.
Three seasons after, Edo State Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu emerged the inspirator-in-chief for the revival of Insurance; a team he also finds time to play for.
Insurance are not however guaranteed qualification for the NPL’s Super 6, from among whom the top flight league’s champions will be determined this season. Three teams are to progress in each group and the Benin Arsenal have 27 points from 13 matches, while the other two teams in the top 3 – 2020/21 champions Akwa United and 2019/20 winners Plateau United – have 22 and 18 points respectively. And both teams each have a match in hand – Akwa hosting Nasarawa United this evening, while Plateau are away to Enyimba.
Also on the heels of the three teams are Enyimba and Remo Stars (both on 18 points), while Shooting Stars (16 points), Gombe United (14 points) and Kwara United (13 points) still aspire to qualify for the Super 6.
Bendel Insurance last matches of the regular season…
v Remo Stars (a) 16th April
v El-Kanemi Warriors (h) 22nd April
v Gombe United (a) 29th April
v Shooting Stars (h) 7th May
v Nasarawa United (a) 14th May
