Lagos – No fewer than 663 officers and men from Lagos State and Ogun Police Commands have commenced trials to select Zone 2 representatives to this year’s Police Games in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 500 athletes are drawn from Lagos, 50 from Ogun and 113 from Zone 2 headquarters, Onikan, Lagos.
The Police Games are scheduled to hold from March 14 to March 27 in Abuja.
Bala Hassan, Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 2, declaring open the competition on Tuesday in Lagos, asked the officers to produce a new Chioma Ajunwa and Julius Aghahowa.
Hassan reminded the athletes that they were the defending champions of the Police Games and should defend their title.
“Through the Games, I expect a new Chioma Ajunwa and Julius Aghahowa who have honoured the country to be discovered,’’ he said.
He urged them to put in their best and be of good behaviour, assuring them of all necessary support to earn them the desired goal.
“The command will move to the sports centre all through the Games to give our support to everyone participating from this zone.
“The two commissioners of police under the zone will provide adequate logistics. There will be no 1-0-0 pattern of feeding rather everybody will be well fed to win gold medals.
“I charge you to win gold medals in football, tug of war and others; the screening will start immediately and selected athletes will move to camp thereafter,’’ the AIG said.
Hassan added that gold medal winners would be greatly rewarded by the Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Solomon Arase.
“The reward will include promotions for the athletes,’’ he said.
He promised to check on the selected athletes at the camping ground before they move to Abuja.
ACP Kunle Olusokan, the Chairman, Technical Committee for the zone, told NAN that with the quality of athletes that were featuring, they would surpass their last edition’s record.
“I am sure we are getting 18 medals in swimming, 10 medals in athletics, 10 medals in boxing and 18 medals in the martial arts.
“This I know is achievable with other medals from other sports,’’ he said.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
The leader of the Ogun contingent, Herrick Obosi, said that though they might not have a good number of athletes like Lagos Command, he was sure they would win medals for the zone.
Obosi said that they arrived in Lagos on Sunday evening and all logistics needed for the Games were adequately provided.
“Our feeding programme is adequate. Kits are made available to both athletes and officials.
“We have all the needed things to excel when the Games proper commence,’’ he said.
NAN reports that the AIG was accompanied by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, the Ogun Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Ademuyiwa Ogunjobi and others.
NAN reports that 28 sports will be featured at this year’s edition of the Games.
The sports are Athletics, Badminton, Boxing, Chess, Dart, Golf, Squash, Kickboxing, Swimming, Tennis, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Karate, Judo, Wrestling, Weightlifting and Rugby.
Others are Hockey, Football, Polo, Basketball, Volleyball, Handball, Scrabble, Tug of War, Wushu Kungfu, Cycling and Shooting. (NAN)
