The Nigerian Airforce said on Thursday that a total of 650 officers and airmen/women will from Monday 2nd April, 2018, commence the NAF 3rd Inter-Command Combat Sports competition in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital.
It said this year’s edition dubbed ‘Uyo 2018’ futuring the six commands of the NAF, the Tactical Air Command, Mobility Command, Ground Training Command, Air Training Command, Logistics Command, Special Operations Command and Headquarters Nigerian Airforce, is taking place specifically at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.
Chairman, Organizing Committee of the competition, Air Commodore Mufon Akpoh while speaking at a briefing in Abuja, noted that participants including personnel deployed to the ongoing counter-insurgency operation in the North East and other internal security operations across the country would compete in various sporting events.
The events are Combat Swimming, Combat Relay Race, Taekwando, Tug of War, and Obstacle Crossing. The event would also feature Shooting Exercise at the Shooting Range located at the Nigerian Army Barracks, Abak.
Ekpoh stated that outstanding athletes during the competition will cart away medals with an opportunity to represent the NAF and the nation in future championships.
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He said, “NAF combat sports is the symbol of regimentation as it is designed to test the combat readiness of personnel in a competitive manner while also promoting participation in sporting activities for enhanced combat capability”.
“Consequently, the city of Uyo and environs will witness considerable movement of troops and military equipment deployed for the competition within the scheduled period” he said.
“The general public is therefure urged not to panic or entertain any form of fear when they see movement of troops and equipment in particular, the shooting exercise during the period.
Recalling the gains of past editions, Air Commodore Akpoh said, “The last two editions of the Nigerian Air Force Combat Sports Competition organized in 2016 and 2017, under the leadership of the CAS, Air Marshal Saddique Abubakar to promote combat fitness and espirit-de-corps among personnel were succesful.
“It was in a bid to leverage on the importance of sporting activities to military operations that the CAS came up with quite a number of initiatives including renovations, upgrading and construction of new sporting facilities across the Nigerian Air Force bases to enhance regular exercise among personnel” he further stated.
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