The Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, has assured that adequate security arrangement had been put in place to host the upcoming 26th Nigerian Universities Games (NUGA) on the campus.

The games have been scheduled to hold from March 16 to March 22, 2022.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the games was initially scheduled to hold in 2020, but was halted, following the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

NUGA is a biennial university games that brings together all the universities in the country together to compete in various sporting activities.

Ogundipe told newsmen at UNILAG on Tuesday that no fewer than 300 CCTV cameras, among other security measures, would be put in place within and around the campus to effectively monitor activities while the competition lasted.

“There is no perfect system in the world. Having said this, I want to say that we are mindful of the current security challenges facing us as a people currently.

“However, we want to reassure every participating and non-participating persons, within and around the university community of their safety, God helping us.

“We are working seriously on the issue of security, to ensure a successful hosting here in Akoka, Yaba and Idi-Araba. We will be complimenting that with our own internal security network and the police.

“Let me state here too that the game is not all about UNILAG, but about the entire state and the country at large, as both the state governor and the Minister for Youth and Sports, are  interested,” he stated.

Ogundipe added that sports remained a centripetal force uniting the country, even when other forces including ethnic, religious, linguistic differences as well as political persuasions and other socio-cultural barriers, strained its unity.

According to him, about 136 universities across the country, with a total of 10,000 student athletes and officials, are expected to participate in the games.

He added that 17 sporting events were expected to be competed for during the games, including Basketball, Badminton, Football, Athletics, Squash, Karate, among others.

The vice chancellor added that all the sporting facilities in the university were currently undergoing massive renovation and reconstruction to international standards.

“This will enable us to showcase to the world, the talents of Nigerian athletes, as well as enable the various sports managers identify talents for future national and international competitions.

“We also intend to ensure that only bonafide students of Nigerian universities participate in the games, through rigorous and transparent accreditation processes and unbiased officiating,” he said.

The vice chancellor added that the university would relaunch ‘KADDI’, the games mascot and ignite the Torch of Unity on Friday, Nov. 26.

Mr Idris Olorunnimbe, Project Lead, for the UNILAG NUGA 2022, said the aim of the games, aside creating a platform for unity, was also to harvest talents among Nigerian youths in the various sports.

He said this, if achieved, would go a long way in restoring the glory years of the country’s sports development.

Also speaking, Mr Larry Izamoje, CEO, Brilla Sports, said every sporting event was a media event, hence the need for massive media coverage and support before, during and after the games.

“We are very many here. And for us all, let’s not just make it a one off event. Please, let us make this massive and keep it alive,” he said. (NAN)