In an effort to promote talent discovery in sporting activities across Edo State, an Under-17 Male and Female Chess Tournament has commenced in Benin, the Edo State capital.

The 3-day tournament, which runs from August 7 to 9, 2025, is organized by the Edo South Senatorial District of the Edo State Sports Commission in collaboration with the Edo State Chess Association.

INFO DAILY reports that
to encourage participants, 1st position in both male and female categories will go home with
cash prizes of ₦25,000, while 2nd, 3rd and 4th positions are expected to go home with 15,000, ₦10,000 and ₦5,000 respectively. Other participants are expected to go home with consolation prizes.

Welcoming participants at the Media Centre of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, venue of the tournament, the Executive Chairman, Edo State Sports Commission, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, described the tournament as a key part of the commission’s ongoing efforts to promote talent discovery across the state.

“For the past seven weeks, Edo State has been a beehive of sporting excellence, hosting one major event after another,” Enabulele remarked.

He added: “From the EKUS Judo Championship to the Ardova PLC Handball Premier League, and the NBBF/Zenith Bank Women’s Premier League which concluded just three weeks ago, Edo continues to affirm its status as Nigeria’s true sporting hub. Now, we are proud to welcome Under-17 chess players to this championship.”

He emphasized that the series of tournaments reflects Governor Monday Okpebholo’s renewed commitment to sports development and youth empowerment, with the goal of nurturing homegrown talent for national and international competitions.

Enabulele further highlighted the crucial role grassroots sports initiatives play in discovering the next generation of champions and fostering healthy rivalry among young athletes.

“It is the mandate of Governor Monday Okpebholo to focus on grassroots sports development, and this tournament is a practical demonstration of that commitment,” he stated.

The Chairman revealed that the top two male and female players will be selected for the National Youth Games camping exercise, after which a final trial will determine the state’s representatives.

He expressed particular excitement about the tournament’s role in building a more formidable state chess team and creating a pathway for emerging talents to participate in the upcoming National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta State.

“I call on other sports associations to emulate the Chess Association by organizing youth-focused initiatives that will contribute to our collective goal of making Edo the powerhouse of sports in Nigeria,” Enabulele urged.

The Commissioner of Police for Special Intervention Squad, CP Abayomi Shogunle, has explained why human rights activist and 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, is being detained by the Nigeria Police Force.

Shogunle, while addressing protesters and the press in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, on Friday, said Sowore’s arrest and detention were ordered after the activist allegedly refused to make a statement upon police interrogation.

Supporters of Sowore are staging protests in different parts of the country, including Lagos, Abuja, Osun and Oyo states, calling for the release of the pro-democracy campaigner, who earlier honoured an invitation from the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit, at the Force Headquarters, in Abuja, on Wednesday, and was subsequently detained.

Sowore recently led a protest to demand better welfare for retired police officers and had also made critical comments concerning a recent promotion exercise in the NPF.

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Speaking on Friday, in a video streamed by Sahara Reporters, the CP said there were two petitions against the activist.

“The two petitions against Omoyele Sowore were shown to him right in my presence. One bordered on forgery of a police document, which he published online, and we all know the position of the law. It is your duty to provide a source of how you came about the forged document. The second petition has to do with cyberbullying.

“The two petitions were shown to him in the presence of his lawyers. The issue now is that he refused to make a statement in the presence of his lawyers. It is in the record.

“And the procedure under the Nigerian law is very clear. When an allegation is made against you, you are called upon, you have a duty to put down your own position,” the CP said.

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“The same law that gives him the right to remain silent also gives the police the responsibility of certain duties to do when somebody who has been alleged of an offence decides not to talk, which you’re also aware of. And I believe we’re professionals, and I believe the procedure as laid down by the law is being followed,” he said.

He said Sowore was not forced to make a statement despite his alleged refusal.

“He has the right to remain silent and the police also have the duties and responsibilities under the law to follow certain procedures once a suspect decides to keep mute. We won’t say because you have decided to keep mute, you can go, no.”

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When asked by a lawyer why Sowore was being detained beyond the constitutional limit of 24 hours, the CP said, “We are professionals, we are following the provisions of the law. Everything needed to be followed under the law in keeping somebody is being followed.”

The CP offered to take a few protesters to where Sowore was being held to show that he was not being brutalised.

“The law is being followed regarding his apprehension and detention. He came himself, and the moment he refused to make a statement, his arrest was ordered,” Shogunle added.

The fallout from the airport incident involving Fuji music legend, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, has intensified, as the African Democratic Congress lashed out at what it described as a “reckless” and “terroristic” act.

This is as the ADC demanded that KWAM 1 face the full weight of Nigerian terrorism laws.

In an X post on Thursday, the spokesman for the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, praised the swift reaction of the Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, but raised concerns about political interference and selective justice.

“On this KWAM1 matter, I commend my brother, the Honourable Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, for describing the action as a ‘hostage situation.’ A hostage situation is an act of terrorism,” the spokesman said.

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He then posed a sharp question aimed at Nigerian authorities and the public.

Abdullah queried, “What are the laws against terrorist actions in Nigeria? Will these laws be applied in this case?”

The statement refers to the August 5 incident at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, where KWAM 1 allegedly refused to comply with flight safety protocols, attempted to board with a prohibited flask, spilled its contents on security officials, and temporarily blocked the aircraft’s movement — prompting accusations of endangering passengers safety.

While the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has already slammed KWAM 1 with a six-month flight ban, and the aviation minister has ordered that he be placed on a national no-fly list, the ADC believes these actions are not enough.

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“Placing KWAM1 on a no-fly list is a good place to start. But it must not end there,” the ADC spokesman continued.

The party then drew attention to the alleged political closeness between the Fuji star and Nigeria’s ruling elite.

“Nigerians know that KWAM1 is the official musician of the APC. They will therefore wait to see if this fact alone would influence how this matter is handled.

“If it were an ordinary citizen, it is doubtful if the individual would not be arrested on the spot and processed for prosecution,” he further noted.

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The ADC’s spokesperson painted a grim picture of the implications for Nigeria’s aviation reputation and national image, warning that foreign travelers could lose faith in the system.

He added, “Even if all our airports are plated in gold, if people coming into our country feel that anybody could block the path of an aircraft and endanger their lives, it would amount to nothing.

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“Pray, if KWAM1 had done this in Europe or America, what do you think would have happened to him by now? What he did was the ultimate in reckless behaviour. It is an act of terrorism and it should be treated as such.”

The statement ended with a rebuke of any attempt to shield the artiste based on his status or political alliances.

“You can’t give him a mere slap on the wrist for this just because he sings for the President,” he concluded.