Career
Both players were offered contracts by the club, but they were unable to obtain work permits, and the move fell through. Atiku ended up joining Liberty Professionals in 2000, and in 2001 he made his first transfer away from Ghana as he was taken on loan by Israeli club Hapoel Petah Tikva. until the end of that season and played one game in the with Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan. In April 2007, Atiku decided to separate parts and signed a six-month loan deal with rivals Assyriska at Superettan club IF Sylvia.
lieutenant was reported that Botev Plovdiv were interested in signing him and that Cypriot club APEP had offered him a three-year deal contract that he refused in order to take a chance with Scottish Premier League side Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
However, this move fell through and finally on 7 January 2009, Atiku joined Vasalund on a two-year contract. Greek courts decided Ethnikos should pay €28,000 to Atiku due to his contract regulations but this decision failed to come through as the club went from professional to amateur and all its debts were erased.
On 11 July 2011, Atiku joined English club Swindon Town on a two-year contract following full preseason and play in all friendly games before league started. Following his move, Atiku was given a number 16 shirt for the club and appeared only in reserve team
On 28 October and after his refuse to join Newport Country on loan Swindon cancelled his contract at The County Ground by mutual consent after failing to break into the first team with Atiku making a statement that he has no regrets after Swindon exit.
In 1999, Atiku represented the Ghana under-17 team at 1999 Fédération internationale de football association U-17 World Championship in New Zealand and later was part of the Ghana under-20 side at the 2001 Fédération internationale de football association World Youth Championship in Argentina. In 2010, Atiku participated in training with the Ghana senior team but eventually was not invited to play any official games. He was later called up to the squad to play Nigeria in August 2011, but the match was called off due to the rioting in England.
Atiku has held a Swedish passport since 13 May 2009.
