The 3rd edition of the Nigeria Police Games to be hosted by River State in Port Harcourt next month will gulp a whopping N500million. The amount is for accommodation, transportation,? kits, allowance, prize money, medics, medals, day to day running of the games and other logistics that will ensure a hitch free tournament.
Unveiling the official logo of the games yesterday at the Force Headquarter, Abuja, Inspector General of Police, M. D. Abubakar said sports is a cardinal point of police programmes that help keep men and women of the police force fit at all the times to carry out their primary responsibility of protecting lives and properties. He said to make the 2013 Police Games? worthwhile and to enable the athletes put in their utmost best performance without fear of injury, a whopping N1.5billion life insurance cover has been set aside in collaboration with the Mutual Benefit Assurance Company for any athlete that may lose his or her life during the games or sustain high level injury that would render him or her useless or paralysed for life.
He commended the River State government for accepting to host and partner with the Police Force in organising the games. “I want to commend River State for providing venue for us to host the games and at the same time partnering with the Police in sponsoring the games. We ready to give all Nigerians, corporate organisations the opportunity to partner with us and support the games,” IGP stated.??
According to the planning committee of the championship,? an impressive number of over 5000 athletes from all the police formations across the country are expected to participate in the biannual tournament.
The last edition of the championship held three years ago, was staged at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.
Chairman of the Planning Committee, CP Abimbola Macauley said the games were designed to identify talented sportsmen and women in the police force, and return Nigeria to the pinnacle of sports.
She said Nigeria Police Games which actually started? over six decades ago has produced notable sportsmen and women such as CP Josephe Adeola, Sam Ego, SP Sunday Bada, CP Chioma Ajunwa, Kikilemo Ajayia, Julius Agahowa, Lovet Ekutu, Samuel Peter and several others who have done the? country proud.?
Speaking at the unveiling, President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Sani Ndanusa commended the Inspector General of police for his commitment to sports development in the country. He said the Nigeria Police has the capacity to produce the bulk of athletes that will represent at the next Olympics in Rio de Jenairo, Brazil. “I confidence in the Nigeria Police Olympics gold medalists and I can assure you that we will be Port Harcourt with our team of technical expert to look out for talents that will be on display during the games.”
?