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 games including weightlifting, boxing, swimming, shooting, football, volleyball, basket ball, table tennis, lawn tennis, among others.
Deputy Commissioner of Police and Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, who spoke to the press on Thursday, said a total of 31 sports would be competed for at the 2020 Nigeria Police Games.
Mba added that there were plans to use this event not only to prepare the police athletes for the forthcoming National Sports Festival in Benin, but also to begin the process of bringing out athletes that would take over from great police ambassadors like Chioma Ajunwa, late Sunday Bada and Samuel Peter.
“After Ajunwa became Nigeria’s first athlete to win an individual gold medal at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, no other athlete has done that and now we are determined to bring out more of such exceptional talents that will bring glory to Nigeria,” Mba said.
“We have more of such and we are happy all is set for the 2020 Nigeria Police Games.
“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.”
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A total of 12 zones will be competing at the 2020 Nigeria Police Games with all zones having three states each except zones 2 and 6. Zone 2
comprises only Lagos and Ogun while Zone 6 (Calabar) comprises four states.
Lagos Commissioner for Police Hakeem Odumosu urged newsmen to partner with the police to give the event good publicity.
Mba also showered praises on the government of Anambra State for working with the police on this project.
He explained that this edition was coming late after the 2016 edition in Abuja due to financial constraints.
“The Rojenny Sports Centre Oba and the NYSC Camp are some of the venues to be used for the competition. We want to take our rightful place in the sports scene.
“Our athletes have been in camp in the past two months and so we expect the very best at the Games,” Mba added.
Zone Two emerged champions at the last edition of the Nigeria Police Games in Abuja in 2016.
