CDS Urges Nigerian Youths To Embrace Sports As A Tool For Security and Nation-Building
At a time when youth engagement is increasingly seen as critical to Nigeria’s security and social stability, the Armed Forces have turned to sports as a unifying force and pathway to opportunity.
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, has urged Nigerian youths to leverage sports in building a safer and more prosperous nation.
He made the call at the opening of the maiden CDS Under-15 Boys Football Championship at the Sharks Football Club Stadium in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Represented by the Chief of Administration at Defence Headquarters, Rear Admiral Gideon Kachim, the CDS said the championship was designed to unite communities, promote healthy competition and instil values such as teamwork, discipline and resilience among young people.
He noted that the initiative also strengthens civil-military relations by positively engaging youths and discouraging restiveness and social vices.
The six-day tournament brings together teams from the South-South states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers, alongside Abia and Imo from the South-East.
General Oluyede described the competition as a vital non-kinetic approach to security, stressing that meaningful youth engagement remains key to long-term peace and cohesion.
Director of Sports at the Defence Headquarters, Air Vice Marshal Babatunde Phillips, said the championship provides a platform for young talents to showcase their skills, inspire excellence and foster brotherhood, even amid challenges such as insecurity and drug abuse.
The opening match saw the Rivers Military Team defeat the Delta Military Team 2-0, setting the tone for the tournament, which will conclude with the final on 20 December 2025.
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