The Niger Command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Thursday said it was ready to collaborate with the state chapter of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN).
Haruna Zurmi, the Niger Commandant of NSCDC, who gave the assurance when the Executive Committee of Niger SWAN visited him, said this was necessary to promote peaceful co-existence in the state.
“We will work with SWAN to organize friendly football matches and other sports events which can serve as a vehicle to promote healthy rivalry amongst various ethnic groups, especially the youths in Niger.
“Sports as a very strong instrument can be used in promoting unity amongst the diverse ethnic nationalities and segmentations in the state.
“Therefore, there is the need for SWAN to partner with the NSCDC in Niger on how to use sports to promote peaceful coexistence,” Zurmi, who was represented by the Deputy Commandant, Idris Danjuma, said.
He added that the usefulness and power of sports as a tool for building bridges of understanding and promotion of peace could not be over-emphasized.
The NSCDC Commandant lauded the Niger SWAN Executive Committee members for the visit and also their commitment to the cause of promoting peaceful co-existence through sports.
He assured of the preparedness of the NSCDC Niger Command to deploy sports as an alternative peace-building mechanism in ending gangsterism, hooliganism and cultism among youths in Minna metropolis.
“Constant clashes between different young cult groups, gangsterism and hooliganism in Minna has been a thing of concern and that is why the Command wants SWAN to champion the cause of using sports as a tool to build healthy rivalry amongst the groups,” Zurmi said.
Earlier, the Niger SWAN Chairman, George Daniya, who led other executive committee members on the visit had said they were at the NSCDC to seek opportunities with key stakeholders.
“We seek opportunities in the area of sports and in using same as a veritable tool for the promotion of peaceful co-existence amongst citizens,” he said.
Daniya said it was important for young men and women, as well as the Command’s personnel, to engage in not only sports but any form of physical fitness.
He pointed out that such form of physical fitness must be the one that was capable of improving their health needs.
The Niger SWAN Chairman however solicited for the support and cooperation of the NSCDC in organizing the upcoming Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Inter-Media Games/SWAN Week.(NAN)
