A total of 75 male and female players from at least 10 states are presently jostling for over N1m prize money in the inaugural edition of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) national Open Squash Challenge in Abuja.
The FCT, Plateau, Delta, Niger, Edo, Kaduna Niger, Kaduna, Rivers, Kwara and Oyo are among the states that are taking part in the tournament which started on Tuesday at the MKO Abiola national stadium squash courts.
The Chairman, Nigeria Police Squash Association, CSP Yakubu Mailafiya, who spoke to the press before the commencement of the tournament said winners would smile to the bank with attractive cash prizes.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, represented by the Force Director of Sports, DSP Atayero promised to make the tournament an annual event.
He also said the purpose of the week-long competition is to hunt for talents.
“Yes, we encountered some challenges but the most pressing of them is not funding. We are very happy that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Force Sports Officer assisted us with funding to organise this tournament.
The essence essentially is to promote the game of squash. We want to also use it to take the youths off the streets.
“We want to bring out the potential in the young ones. As for the sustenance of this tournament, I can assure you that with the corporation of the Squash federation, the IGP has endorsed it to be an annual event,” he noted.
Uchenna Ubah who represented the Squash Federation Caretaker chairman commended the IGP and the police for sponsoring the tournament.
