By Aderonke Ojo
The National Defence College (NDC), Nigeria, in partnership with the Nigeria Shooting Sport Federation (NSSF), has hosted the maiden edition of the NDC Course 34 Graduation Shooting Competition at the National Shooting Range, Package B, Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
The competition, which formed part of activities marking the graduation of NDC Course 34, brought together senior military officers, faculty members, course participants and other stakeholders to promote shooting as a sporting and recreational activity while encouraging physical fitness, mental alertness, discipline and camaraderie.
Speaking at the event, the Chief of Defence Administration, Defence Headquarters, Rear Admiral Gideon Kachim, who served as Special Guest of Honour, described the competition as a significant and innovative initiative by the National Defence College.
“Shooting is a very deliberate and disciplined action, and it is also a sport. When you inculcate the procedures and processes involved in shooting and apply them even to your daily life, it works wonders,” Rear Admiral Kachim said.
He noted that shooting requires discipline, concentration, precision, patience and the ability to follow through, adding that these principles of marksmanship could be applied meaningfully to everyday life.
“You have to align your gun to the target. There is also the ability to follow through and the need to be patient in taking your shots. All these are attributes that you can apply to your daily life to make you a better person,” he added.
According to him, the activity would not only help personnel sharpen their skills but also provide a constructive avenue for recreation and personal development.
He commended the Commandant of the National Defence College, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Ahmed Scholar, and the organisers for initiating the competition and urged participants to take advantage of the occasion to relax, build relationships and enjoy healthy competition.
The Chief of Defence Administration further emphasised that the National Defence College places importance on physical fitness and mental well-being alongside academic excellence, describing sporting activities as an important avenue for teamwork, interaction and enduring professional bonds.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, said the Commission was committed to developing shooting alongside other sports as part of efforts to broaden Nigeria’s prospects for success at international competitions, including the Olympic Games.
“We are very clear that every sport is one of our sports. We don’t want to downplay any sport. We want to support every sport to develop within its comparative advantage,” Dikko said.
He said Nigeria could not rely solely on traditional sports such as football and athletics to win international medals, stressing the need to identify and develop talents in sports with Olympic potential.
“If we want to win Olympic medals, we have to spread our chances. We cannot focus only on athletics, football and other traditional sports. We have to look at other sports as well,” he said.
Dikko disclosed that the National Sports Commission would work with the Nigeria Shooting Sport Federation to improve infrastructure, identify promising athletes and establish a pathway through domestic competitions, elite training and participation in international events.
He explained that athletes identified through domestic competitions would have opportunities to compete internationally, gain experience and rankings, and ultimately position themselves for Olympic qualification.
“We need more domestic competitions. From these competitions, we identify the talent and then sponsor them. If they are good enough, we can put them on the elite framework where we support their training and coaching,” he said.
The National Sports Commission Chairman also expressed confidence that the development of shooting and other emerging sports could provide Nigeria with additional opportunities to win medals at future Olympic Games.
“Our target is that by the next Olympics, we should have athletes competing in shooting, fencing and other sports that are not traditionally regarded as our major sports,” Dikko stated.
In his remarks, the President of the Nigeria Shooting Sport Federation, Commodore Shettima Mohammed Shagir, described the competition as another important step towards making shooting more popular and accessible to Nigerians.
“These are steps we have taken to make the shooting federation popular and accessible to all Nigerians, starting first with the military, being the natural custodians of shooting wherever they are,” Commodore Shagir said.
He said the Federation had deliberately begun engaging the military while simultaneously working to introduce the sport to members of the wider public.
He recalled that the Federation had recently organised the inaugural Nigerian Navy Shooting Tournament and had also provided members of the press with an opportunity to experience shooting as a sport.
According to him, misconceptions surrounding shooting often lead people to associate it exclusively with military and security personnel, whereas shooting is recognised internationally as a sporting discipline.
“When people hear the word shooting, they usually assume it is mainly for the military or private security personnel. But shooting is traditionally a sport,” he said.
He stressed, however, that safety and strict adherence to established procedures remain fundamental to the sport.
“Yes, shooting can be dangerous if proper procedures are not followed. We are therefore trying to get people to understand that shooting is also open to the general public through the Shooting Sports Federation,” he added.
The NSSF President said the Federation’s grassroots engagement programme was aimed at encouraging wider public participation and creating a stronger talent-development base for Nigeria’s participation in international shooting competitions, including the Olympic Games.
He said the objective was to develop a structured pathway through which promising talents could be identified, trained and given opportunities to compete at higher levels.
The event also provided an opportunity for participants to strengthen friendships and professional relationships developed during the rigorous 10-month NDC Course 34 programme.
The National Defence College reaffirmed its commitment to promoting activities that support the physical well-being, mental alertness and social cohesion of its community.
The organisers expressed the hope that the maiden competition would become an enduring feature of NDC graduation activities and contribute to the broader development of shooting sport in Nationwide .
