Kano, Feb. 2, 2026 (NAN) The Commissioner of Police.(CP), in Kano State, Mr Ibrahim Bakori, has unveiled a table Tennis facility for the use of the members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kano State Council.
He described the gesture as a symbol of the extant strong partnership between the police and the media in the state.
The unveiling, which took place on Sunday at the NUJ Press Centre in Kano, drew journalists, security officials and other stakeholders.
Bakori, while inaugurating the facility, commended the members of the chapel for their professionalism and balanced reportage, stressing that effective policing largely depended largely on constructive engagement with the media.
He described journalists as critical partners in policing, saying that their role in information dissemination and public enlightenment remained indispensable.
According to him, informal engagements such as sporting and recreational activities help to build trust, enhance communication and strengthen mutual understanding between security agencies and journalists.
Bakori said the sustained collaboration between the police and the media had contributed to the relative peace being enjoyed in Kano State, adding that crime incidents had continued to decline.
He also said that bandits’ activities around some border communities had been curtailed through cooperation with key stakeholders, including journalists.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the chapel, Mr Murtala Adewale, described the facility as a historic achievement and the fulfilment of a long-standing aspiration of the chapel.
Adewale said the initiative was aimed at promoting the physical and mental well-being of journalists, noting that the profession was demanding and often stressful.
He said sporting activities would help journalists remain healthy, focused and productive in the discharge of their professional duties.
The chairman also called for the revival of the National NUJ Games, which he said had been dormant for over a decade, noting that such activities foster unity, fitness and professional bonding among journalists.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the NUJ Kano State council, Alhaji Suleiman Dederi, represented by his Vice Chairman, Mr Mustapha Gambo, described the unveiling as a milestone for the Correspondents’ Chapel.
He encouraged other NUJ chapels to initiate programmes that promote the welfare and unity of journalists.
In a separate remark, a national officer of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Malikawa Garu, commended the initiative, saying it would enhance unity and healthy interaction among journalists.
The event ended with a novelty table tennis match between Bakori and Adewale, which attracted applause from journalists and invited guests. (NAN)
