National Sports Commission urges Favour Ofili to return to Nigerian team after World Athletics blocks transfer to Turkey
via Punch Nigeria2 min read
The National Sports Commission has called on Nigerian sprint star Favour Ofili to rejoin the national team after World Athletics rejected her application to transfer allegiance to Turkey. The World Athletics Nationality Review Panel cited concerns over the integrity of international competition and coordinated recruitment of athletes in its decision. Bukola Olopade, the commission's director general, stated that Nigeria fully supports Ofili and is ready to provide backing for her success, including for the upcoming Olympic Games. He emphasized that the country remains her home and urged her not to be discouraged. The World Athletics decision was part of a broader rejection of 11 transfer applications linked to a recruitment strategy by the Turkish government. The panel warned against a system driven by financial incentives rather than genuine national ties. Turkey is expected to challenge the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The Athletics Federation of Nigeria, through its president Tonobok Okowa, also welcomed Ofili back, and former AFN president Solomon Ogba supported the World Athletics decision. Ofili remains eligible to represent Nigeria in major international competitions.
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The Kano State Government has trained Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers from seven local government areas in bio-risk management and zoonotic disease sample collection. This two-day training, organized by the Ministry for Livestock Development in collaboration with the Kano State Centre for Disease Control and supported by the Core Group Partners Project, aims to enhance public health preparedness. The primary objective is to improve the capacity of frontline health workers in bio-risk management, ensure safe collection and handling of zoonotic disease samples, and strengthen surveillance and reporting systems across the state. The workshop included participants from Doguwa, Tofa, Takai, Kura, Dawakin Tofa, Kumbotso, and Bunkure, which are high-burden areas for zoonotic diseases. Professor Mohammad Adamu Abbas, Director General of the KNCDC, stated that the training significantly improved the technical capacity of surveillance officers and reinforced the importance of timely and accurate disease reporting. He also highlighted the initiative's emphasis on the One Health approach, promoting collaboration between human, animal, and environmental health sectors. Professor Abbas reaffirmed the state government's commitment to continuous capacity building, improved logistics, and enhanced community engagement for effective prevention and response to zoonotic diseases.
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