By Sumaila Ogbaje
The Nigerian Navy on Saturday in Abuja won the Paintball Combat Competition, defeating the Nigerian Army during sporting events organised to commemorate the 2023 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration (AFRDC).
The paintball is a simulated combat situation to develop strategy, skills and team work minus the danger of live munitions fire.
It helps a player to make strategic decisions within seconds to remain in the game.
Speaking at the event, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, congratulated members of the armed forces particularly the veterans for the good work they had done to keep the nation united.
Irabor said the fallen and living heroes deserved to be celebrated for their sacrifice for the nation.
According to him, the nation has set aside Jan. 15 of every year to remember and honour serving and fallen heroes.
“For us in the armed forces, we also thought as a prelude to the wreath laying event, that there has to be series of events that will indeed lead to the climax.
“The paintballing festival is one of such innovations. Two days ago and yesterday, we had golf tournament packaged to honour our veterans and I am glad to say that they were there in their numbers.
“The event that we have witnessed tonight is to further honour them and to let them know that their services were never forgotten.
“I am glad that we have been able to put this together in partnership with the Forest Hunters who came up with the idea and suggested that we partner with them,” he said.
Irabor commended the forest hunters for the idea and pledged to continue to partner with the organisation to make paintball combat competition an annual event.
He said the armed forces would do further modification to the game to suit the Nigerian environment going forward.
The paintball competition was organised by the Defence Headquarters in partnership with the Forest Hunters powered by Bayo Omoboriowo.
NAN reports that the AFRDC is held on Jan. 15 every year in commemoration of the end of the Nigerian Civil war on Jan. 15, 1970.
The annual event is also to celebrate the nation’s living and fallen heroes of the two World Wars and those who paid the supreme price in line of duty in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Chidinma Agu/Maharazu Ahmed
