Sports

Group Accuses Sahara Reporters of Sensationalism Over N2.1bn NSC Budget Report

Published

9 months ago

January 17, 2026

The controversy surrounding the National Sports Commission’s (NSC) budget allocation has sparked a heated debate, with the United Sports Stakeholders condemning Sahara Reporters for their “misleading headlines and sensationalism” aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the NSC leadership.

Jude Chukuma, the president of the United Sports Stakeholders, expressed his organization’s disappointment with Sahara Reporters, stating that the report “lacks journalistic ethics, is riddled with bias, and is an attempt to blackmail and rubbish the good work of the NSC leadership.” Chukuma emphasized that the NSC had already hosted the 2025 National Sports Festival in Ogun State, and it was illogical to allocate funds for the same event in the 2026 budget.

“The Journalism ethics worldwide seeks to know the unknown by asking the right people, the right questions, unfortunately, this is what Sahara Reporters lacks,” Chukuma said. He questioned why Sahara Reporters failed to reach out to the NSC and the Budget Office for clarification, instead opting to speak with Ogun State officials.

Chukuma clarified that the N2.1 billion allocation was actually 70% of the N3 billion budgeted for the 2025 National Sports Festival in Ogun State, which was carried over to 2026 as part of the Federal Government’s directive to complete existing projects and manage spending pressures.

“The budget office only carried out a directive from Mr. President dated December 9, 2025, wherein the Federal Government ordered ministries, departments, and agencies to carry over 70% of their 2025 capital budget into the 2026 fiscal year,” Chukuma explained.

He advised Sahara Reporters to seek clarification from the Budget Office, stating that the N2.1 billion allocation was not for a new event, but rather a continuation of the previous year’s budget.

Chukuma’s statement has shed new light on the controversy, and it remains to be seen how the NSC and the Federal Government will respond to these allegations. Meanwhile, Ogun State’s Special Adviser to the Governor, Kayode Ogunmade, has dismissed suggestions that the state incurred debts from hosting the festival, saying, “We do not host events and then run into debts. We do not do things that we are not capable of.”

Share on Facebook

Sports

Plateau Vipers, Benue Queens Crowned Champions at HFN North Central Division One Tourney

Published

3 hours ago

October 3, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The President of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Jibril Seidu, has said the federation will continue to intensify its grassroots talent development drive through zonal competitions across the country.

Seidu stated this on Saturday in Abuja at the finals of the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship, where Plateau Vipers defeated Suleja Shooters 29-24 to emerge champions in the men’s category.

In the women’s final, Benue Queens of Makurdi defeated City Queens of Suleja to claim the title.

The eight-day tournament featured teams from across the North Central Zone, with Plateau Vipers of Jos, Confluence Stars of Lokoja, Unity Boys of Abuja, Suleja Shooters and Nasarawa Ambassadors of Lafia competing in the men’s category.

In the women’s category, Nuela Handball Academy of Ilorin, Inikpi Babes of Idah, Benue Queens of Makurdi and City Queens of Suleja competed for honours.

At the end of the competition, four teams — two male and two female — emerged as the North Central Zone’s representatives for the national Division One league.

According to Seidu, the tournament was organised as part of the federation’s deliberate strategy to take handball development back to the regions and discover talents that might otherwise remain unnoticed.

He said the HFN board, inaugurated on October 25, 2025, resolved that grassroots development was essential to creating a sustainable pipeline of players for national and international competitions.

“All the teams you have seen here are from the North Central Zone of the country, and every state is represented with an academy or state team,” he said.

Seidu explained that the new approach marked a departure from the previous system, where talent identification was largely centred on the federation’s major league competitions.

He said taking competitions to the regions would provide young players with greater opportunities to showcase their abilities while strengthening the foundation of handball across the country.

The HFN president also linked the grassroots initiative to Nigeria’s recent achievements in international handball, stressing the need to develop younger players who can eventually replace members of the current national teams.

He noted that Nigeria had qualified for the 2027 Men’s Junior Handball World Championship in North Macedonia, describing the achievement as evidence of the potential within the country’s handball system.

“How do we replace these players with upcoming players? This is the avenue for us to get players,” he said.

Seidu added that the federation was determined to make handball more visible and accessible, describing it as one of Nigeria’s major sporting disciplines with significant potential for growth.

The North Central tournament is part of a wider zonal programme designed to decentralise handball development across Nigeria.

According to the federation, similar competitions are being organised across other zones, including the South East, North East, North West and South South, with qualifiers from each zone expected to converge at a designated venue for the next stage of the competition.

The federation also appealed for greater support from sponsors, stakeholders and state associations to sustain its grassroots development programme.

It expressed appreciation to the participating states, academies, team sponsors and other stakeholders for their support and commitment to the growth of handball in Nigeria.

The federation said the initiative would provide a platform for discovering the next generation of Nigerian handball stars while expanding the sport’s reach beyond its traditional centres.
While Speaking the elated coach of Benue Queen Godwin Tondo has promised a stronger and more tactical performance after guiding the team to victory at the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship in Abuja.
He attributed the success to the team’s long-term youth development programme, noting that the squad was built through a deliberate process of identifying and nurturing young talents.
According to him, the programme began with the selection of 92 girls from secondary schools, who were subsequently trained and developed over a four-year period.

He said the team’s success was a product of sustained hard work and commitment despite the challenges encountered during preparations for the tournament.

“I feel very pleased being a champion today. The road to this stage was very, very hard, but I am very happy that we have got the result from all the toughness of the game,” he said.

Share on Facebook