1 Div Inter-Brigade Turney Opens In Kaduna

1 Division Nigerian Army yearly sporting event, Inter- Brigade Sports Competition scheduled to hold from 23-27 September, 2019 opened on Monday.

The tournament currently ongoing at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Sports Complex, Ribadu Cantonment, Kaduna is an annual event amongst formations under 1 Division Nigerian Army.

The participants were drawn from 3 Brigade, Kano, 31 Artillery Brigade, Minna and 1 Division Garrison, Kaduna.

Declaring the tournament open, General Officer Commanding (GOC), 1 Div, Major General Faruq Yahaya reminded the participants of the need to embrace the spirit of sportsmanship where a winner must emerge and not see it as do it die affair.

The GOC said, “the competition is aimed at selecting sports men and women that will represent the Division in the forthcoming Nigerian Army Sports Festival.

“This year’s division inter-brigade sports championship is yet another opportunity for the brigades under the command to slog it out in 19 sporting events.

“This should improve your spirit of team work and build your endurance. This is also part of the efforts by the current Army leadership to have a responsible and responsive troops for the protection of Nigerian territorial integrity.

“On the whole, it is expected that, the championship would bring forth new talents, new sportsmen and women who would represent the Division, the NA and the Country at international sporting events.”

Earlier, the Garrison Commander, 1 Div, Brigadier General Jimmy Akpor said, the event was designed to enable troops developing their sporting skills to brighten the division’s chances to the national excellence in global sporting championships.

About 900 athletes and officers are expected to participate in the competition which features football, athletics, judo, swimming, basket ball, lawn tennis, boxing, tug of war, cross country/half marathon, chess, scrabble, volleyball, taekwondo, badminton etc.