This year’s edition of the Armed Forces Games is to hold in Kaduna.
Abidemi Marquis, Director of Sports, Defence Headquarters, announced this at a news conference held at the 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna, at the weekend.
Marquis who is the chairman of the Organising Committee of the event, said 1,600 athletes would compete in 19 sporting events.
He explained that the objective of the games is to select a team that will represent the Nigerian military at the forthcoming African Military Games, scheduled for November in Abuja.
According to him, the four-day sporting event will begin September 23 to 27, 2024 at five venues in Kaduna.
Marquis noted that the first edition of the African Military Games was 22 years ago, in Kenya, adding that Nigeria has not been able to host it due to engagement in security challenges.
“In 2023, the immediate past Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), Gen. Lucky Irabor, accepted to host the event in Abuja.
“The current CDS, being a lover of sports accepted to host the event same venue,” he said.
According to him, “the Nigerian Armed Forces Games 2024, would serve as a trial, where the best athletes would be picked to represent Nigeria’s Armed Forces in the African Military Games which would be held from November 18 to 30, 2024, in Abuja.”
He said 44 African nations have so far indicated interest to be part of the African Military Games.
He explained that, “the objective of the games is to really select our team that will be representing Nigeria during the African military games in Abuja”.
Marquis added that the CDS, chose Kaduna to host the Armed Forces Games as part of his contribution to impact on the economy of the state.
He urged sports loving people of the state to be part of the competition which would be opened to all.
Marquis commended Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna state for offering some venues for the hosting of the events – the Ahmadu Bello Stadium and Murtala Square, owned by the state government.
He added that other venues include the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), NAF Base and a private range.
He said, the sporting activities to be competed for in the Armed Forces Games 2024, include basketball, lawn tennis, golf, track and field events, combat swimming, obstacle crossing, taekwondo, kick boxing, volleyball and archery among others.
