The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Kaduna State Command on Wednesday began a 10-day para-military football tournament to honour the Corps Marshal’s 100 days in office .
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the para-military agencies participating in the maiden edition of the tournament include: Nigeria Police, Federal Fire Service, NDLEA and EFCC.
Others are: Nigeria Correctional Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigerian Immigration Service and the Federal Road Safety Corps.
NAN reports that each of the participating teams has 24 players.
Declaring the tournament open, the Vice-Chancellor, Kaduna State University (KASU), Prof. Abdullahi Musa, said that remarkable respect given to it would remain indelible.
Represented by Prof. Sunam Katung, Director, Sports, Musa said, ”The radius of the earth is 6,600 kilometers, where the university had reduced it to a round object, which is a football.
“You may not know what you have done by reducing the radius of the earth to this level and bringing Kaduna State together in this spirit being the maiden edition.
“You choice to pick Kaduna State as a special guest has no error in it,”he said.
Musa said he would encourage young talents, while emphasising on their education, adding that their excellence would be part of the university’s history.
“Those who want to study in the university and possess the minimum requirements will have automatic admission,” he added.
”What you have done did not just create a platform for them to come together, but also touched the future for saying the competition would be an annual event.
”A child that is 13-year-old, who observes the competition may probably join one of the paramilitary in the future.
“In doing that, they have been captured from being idle”.
Musa encouraged coaches to look keenly to see those who would be picked in the competition to represent the state at various levels of competitions.
Earlier, the Sector Commander, FRSC, Kabir Nadabo said that the pioneer football tournament was to celebrate the Corps Marshal, Mr Shehu Muhammad’s 100 days in office .
Nadabo said the tournament was also to foster more synergy among sister security agencies.
The commander said the tournament was also to celebrate Nigerians and citizens of the state as Nigeria marked its 64th Independence anniversary.
He appreciated the Kaduna State Government for providing the venue for the tournament.
Also, the Kaduna State Commissioner for Sports Development, Prof. Benjamin Kumai-Gugong , commended FRSC for organising the tournament.
He promised that the state government would partner with FRSC so as to expand the tournament in 2025. (NAN)
