# Lobi Stars F.C.

Lobi Stars Football Club (formerly known as Mosquito football club, Lobi Bank, BBL Hawks, and Hawks) is a Nigerian professional soccer club based in Makurdi, Benue. The club competes in the Nigerian Professional Football League. The Stars' home is the 8,000-seater Aper Aku Stadium.

## History

Founded as Hawks of Makurdi in 1981 by the Benue State sports council, the club was renamed Benue Breweries Limited (BBL) Hawks Football Club, when the state-owned Breweries acquired the club in 1985. There was another change again when the state-owned Lobi Bank acquired the club in 1990 and named it Lobi Bank Football Club.
In 1999, the Nigeria Football League was played in a new format which saw the top four teams squaring up in a knockout Super League at the National Stadium, Surulere. Lobi Stars won the maiden edition of the Nigerian Super League under coach Godwin Koko Uwua's management. Lobi Stars won its first and only FA Cup title in 2003 after beating Sharks FC of Port-Harcourt.
In 2005 they reached the finals of the domestic FA Cup where they lost to Enyimba.
They finished the 2008–09 season with 13 wins, 10 draws and 15 losses after winning a game on appeal against Enugu Rangers, avoiding the drop by one point.
In August 2009, the Benue State government announced the club will be leased to private ownership, ending direct support from the State, but that never materialised. Lobi finished 3rd in Glo premier league in 2012. They also reached the Federation Cup final that season but lost to Heartland F.C. of Owerri.

## Honours

* Nigeria Professional Football League
** Champions: 1999
* Nigeria FA Cup
** Winners: 2003
* Nigeria Super Cup
** Winners: 1999, 2018

## Performance in CAF competitions

* CAF Champions League
       2000 – Group stage
       2018–19 – Group stage
* CAF Confederation Cup
       2004 – Second round
       2006 – Second round
       2012 – First round
* WAFU Club Championship
       2010 – First round

## Current squad

As of 8 February 2024
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | NGA | Daniel Atsaka |
| 2 | DF | NGA | John Lazarus |
| 31 | DF | NGA | Solomon Kwambe |
| 6 | DF | NGA | Jimmy Iteji |
| 10 | FW | NGA | Stanley Oganbor |
| 8 | MF | NGA | Kumaga Suur |
| 9 | FW | NGA | Barnabas Imenger |
| 11 | FW | NGA | Samuel Tiza Iorwuese |
| 12 | GK | NGA | Emmanuel Daniel |
| 13 | DF | NGA | Orji Kalu Okagbue |
| 14 | FW | NGA | Dabani Godwin Alao |
| 16 | FW | NGA | Waheed Adebayo |
| 17 | DF | NGA | Moses Tsehuan |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 20 | MF | NGA | Ajibola Adeleke |
| 19 | CF | NGA | Ossy Martins |
| 21 | MF | NGA | Christian Madu |
| 25 | DF | NGA | Nnamdi Frank |
| 33 | MF | NGA | Ifeanyi Assurance |
| 22 | MF | NGA | Onah Peter |
| 27 | DF | NGA | Monday Akile |
| 28 | MF | NGA | Ahmadu Liman |
| 5 | FW | NGA | Yem Reubem |
| 30 | GK | NGA | Akor Itodo |
| 33 | DF | NGA | Agbanyi Vershima |
| 34 | CB | NGA | Arinze Ogbonna |
| 37 | FW | NGA | Olorintoba Segun |
| 35 | FW | NGA | Itim Paul |

## Coaching staff

As of 8 November 2024
| Name | Role |
| Mika Lönnström | Head coach |
| Tar Akombo | Assistant coach |
| Save Okoh | Goalkeeping coach |
| Benjamin Bemgba Jiki | Coach |
| Daniel Amokachi | Technical advisor |

## Former managers

* Shaibu Amodu
* Kosta Papić
* Godwin Uwua
* Salisu Yusuf
* Ufere Nwankwo
* Mitko Dobrev (2009–??)
* John Zaki
* Garba Lawal
* Solomon Ogbeide
* Gbenga Ogunbote
* Kabiru Dogo
* Eddy Dombraye
* Eugene Agagbe

## Notable players

* Kelechi Okoye