The 12th Biennial Nigeria Police Games has been scheduled to begin on February 29, 2020, at different locations in Anambra State.
Expectedly, competitors from all the 12 zones of the Nigeria Police will participate in different indoor and outdoor games including, weightlifting, boxing, swimming, shooting, football, volleyball, basketball, table tennis, lawn tennis, among others.
Speaking in Lagos yesterday, The Force Public Relations Officer, Mr Frank Mba, said that the police that gave Nigeria her first-ever individual Olympic gold medal through Chioma Ajunwa at the Atlanta Games in 1996, “is on the search again for potential medalists to put smiles on the faces of Nigerians once more.”
Mba, a serving Deputy Commissioner of police said that through the Games, Nigeria police is trying to re-engineer sports renaissance.
“We want to use Awka 2020 to make a statement. We want to tell Nigerians that our police is not all about chasing armed robbers alone but can also contribute to the social development of the country through sports. We have done it in the past through the Chioma Ajunwa, Sunday Bada, Samuel Peters and several others.”
While thanking Anambra State Government for spearheading to host and be the title sponsor of the Games which last held in Abuja in 2016, the Force PRO urged all personnel going to Akwa 2020 to put in their best efforts to ensure that the quality of competition matches expectations.
“ Competitors are going to battle for medals in 31 sports. We expect national federations to be on the lookout for some talents that will be good enough to represent our country in global competitions in future as we have been doing in the past.”
Mba was particularly happy that as part of the benefits of hosting the Games, the next set of National Youth Service Corps members are going to be the first beneficiary of the refurbished hostels and new beddings to be left behind after Awka 2020.
Also speaking at the event, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, said he was looking forward to Zone 2 made up of Lagos and Ogun States to retain the overall title it won four years ago in Abuja.
Odumosu said the Games was a good venue for networking as well as meeting colleagues not seen for several years.
“Apart from the health benefit of sports, it is a good avenue to meet colleagues and friends not seen for a long time. It is an opportunity to recreate those moments normal office hours will not allow us,” observed the Lagos CP.
Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo is expected to kick off the Games at the opening ceremony scheduled for the Dr Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka.
Rojenny Games Village Oba is expected to play host to the track and field events while NYSC Orientation camp at Umuawulu-Mbaukwu and several other venues in the state host other events.
