The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) football team has on Sunday won the security and safety football tournament in Ogun State.
In the championship game held at the MKO Abiola International Stadium in Abeokuta, the NPF squad, also known as Police Machine, defeated their counterparts from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) six goals to five in a penalty shootout.
After a goalless 90 minutes, the third edition of the Value Jet/SWAN Security and Safety Cup competition concluded with a penalty kick.
The Police team’s goalkeeper saved two penalties to give his team a deserving victory after playing in the third consecutive finals.
The Nigerian Correctional Service team defeated the Nigeria Customs Service team by walkover in the third-place match when the latter team was unable to make it to the pitch.
The SWAN Chairman, Michael Azeez-Ogunsiji said the competition was part of the association’s contributions to security officers protecting lives of the indigenes, maintaining that the tournament is meant to fosters unity among the security agencies.
“The game has come to stay, we are going to ensure that next edition would be more colorful than this, we are also going into table tennis as well so as to catch them young.
He also called on stakeholders to join hands in sponsoring the next competition as the state government cannot do it alone.
Ogunsiji, however , urged Governor Dapo Abiodun to take up the competition and provide yearly sponsorship.
“Finance is our major challenge and this year we couldn’t give award to some of the players
Responding, the state commissioners for sports, Wasiu Isiaka assured of the state government’s readiness to sponsor the competition from next year.
Isiaka also promised that the state’s athletic venues and activities will undergo a significant transformation in time for the National Sports Festival the following year.
“ We have the facilities everywhere across the state and we would utilize them. Not just on this competition alone expect so many things in sport activities generally in the state”
Some notable dignitaries who graced the competition are The State Commissioners for Sports and Forestry, Taiwo Oludotun and Wasiu Isiaka, the State Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Wale Olanrewaju, among others.
