By Augustine Ehikioya
Towards hosting the African Military Games, the Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor has approved the the games’ hosting in Nigeria tagged “Abuja 2024.”
This was disclosed by the President, Organisation of Military Sports in Africa (OSMA), Nigeria’s Major General, Maikano Abdullahi, at a Media Parley in Abuja before his departure to the Democratic Republic of Congo on working visit. It was monitored by Security Watch Africa (SWA).
Maikano, who doubles as Vice President of the International Military Sports Council (CISM), described the approval for the hosting of the Military Games in Abuja by General Irabor as a “most welcome development.”
According to him, a total of eighteen Sporting events will be competed for by the participating countries.
He disclosed that the Republic of Niger will host the maiden edition of the General Lucky Irabor, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff Sahel Games for Peace and Solidarity 2023 in Niamey, which is scheduled to come up by April.
Maikano has arrived the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kinshasa on a week-long working visit.
The Military Sports Chief’s tour of duty to DRC is to “access the level of the country’s Armed Forces preparation for the forthcoming 2023 Great Lakes African Military Games involving ten member countries.”
While in the Republic of Congo he will also commission the OSMA Central Liason Office in Brazzaville and to revive African Military Basketball Championship fixed for a later date to be hosted by the Republic of Congo.
The OSMA President has paid courtesy calls on the DRC’s Minister of Defence, Dr Gilbert Kabanda Kurhenga, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Celestin Mbala Musense and the Nigerian Ambassador to DRC Omar Souleiman.