Irabor promises to encourage sports among barracks youth

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Lucky Irabor, has promised to ensure development of sports in military barracks to engaged more youths in sporting activities.

Irabor made the pledge at the closing of the 2022 edition of Abuja Military Barracks Youths Sports Championship organised by the Defence Headquarters on Thursday, in Abuja.

The CDS, was represented by the Director of Education, Defence Headquarters, Rear Adm. Chibuike Azike,

Irabor assured the youth that deliberate efforts would be made to ensure the continuous construction, renovation, reactivation and remodeling of sporting facilities within the barracks.

"In additional and by way of encouragement, we shall continue to facilitate the participation of youths across all barracks in organised sports competitions around the country.

"I urge all youths across all the barracks not to rest on their oars as they go about pursuing their educational and sporting careers.

"There are enough challenges currently being faced by government at all levels, while efforts are on to arrest the crisis.

"This championship as organised, no doubt have widened the horizon of our barracks towards exploring opportunities offered by sports," he said.

Irabor commended the Directorate of sports for a job well done in ensuring the smooth conduct of the competition.

He also commended the participating youths for the excellent performance, saying the championships must have taken a toll on their physical and mental strength.

He added that objectives set out to be achieved via the conduct of the championship had been realised.

"I therefore commend all the youths for the efforts they have put into winning trophies for their teams.

"You will all agree with me that every team is a winner. We can see that there are trophies in front of every team.

"Specifically, I commend and congratulate the youths that have distinguished themselves by winning individual prizes during the championship,"he added.

On his part, the Director of Education, DHQ, Rear Adm. Azike, said the fourth edition of the military youth sports competition started well and ended well.

Azike said the fourth edition was unique because it was held in the newly remodeled football pitch, adding that the football pitch was FIFA rating.

According to him, it means that various sporting conditions national, local and national and beyond.

"So, I believe that in the nearest future, we will have talents from this particular competition to represent the country and even beyond," he said.

Supreme reports the championship features four sports including: football, basketball, volleyball and badminton involving five teams.

The teams are: Team Lungi, Team Mambilla, Team Mogadishu, Team NAF Base and Team Zuma in both male and female categories.

Team Mambilla emerged the overall winner with 620 points, Team Lungi came second with 480 points, while Team Mogadishu won the third position with 400 points.

Teams NAF Base and Zuma came fourth and fifth with 320 point and 280 points respectively.