Former Kano Pillars and Super Eagles defender Shehu Abdullahi has retired from professional football and is now pursuing a seat in the House of Representatives ahead of the 2027 general elections, according to a report by Completesports.com.
The 33-year-old had a decorated playing career that took him across Europe, featuring for clubs such as Anorthosis Famagusta FC, Bursaspor, AC Omonia, and Levski Sofia. He earned 37 senior international caps for Nigeria between 2014 and 2019, having also represented the country at U-17, U-20, and U-23 levels. He returned to boyhood club Kano Pillars in 2024 and completed a season with the Sai Masu Gida before calling time on his playing days.
After his stint with Pillars, Abdullahi was engaged by the Sokoto State Government, taking up an appointment as Special Assistant to the Commissioner for Sports on Youth Mobilisation. He has since moved fully into the political space, declaring for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
His former teammate at Kano Pillars, Ahmed Garba — widely known as Yaro Yaro — confirmed the development to Completesports.com on Thursday. "Shehu Abdullahi is no longer with Kano Pillars. He has also stopped playing football and has joined politics," Yaro Yaro said. He added that Abdullahi "has returned to Sokoto State and is now set to contest for the House of Representatives seat for Sokoto North/Sokoto South Federal Constituency."
Should he succeed at the polls in 2027, Abdullahi would join a small group of Nigerian footballers who have managed to win elected office after their playing careers. For Pillars fans, it marks the end of a homecoming story — a player who came back to the club he grew up supporting, and has now moved on to a different kind of public service.