Terrorism and banditry in the Northern part of the country will end quickly if the state governments can invest more in sports to keep youths fully engaged, Katsina United coach, Bashir Sadauki, has said.
Bashir said the prolonged negligence of sporting activities by northern states compounded the idleness of youths in the region, which has led to banditry and terrorism.
He said: “When we were growing up, we had allowances from the government. We were paid N200 just to play football for our schools. Aside that, I was given a scholarship to Federal College of Education Katsina just to play football for the college.”
“These encouraged us to concentrate on sporting activities while growing up. Because we were profiting from it aside from the fame it gave us in the state.”
“If we are to be successful in terms of sports and other aspects of life in the North, the government of each state has to go back to its former tradition. It should create a conducive sporting environment like building sport centers where talents can be showcased.
“From the sports centers the government can identify talents and build a competitive team of all kinds of sports.
“The government has to encourage sports right from primary schools to universities by organising competition of various sports and give scholarships to outstanding athletics.”
Bashir urged the youths to develop the mindset for sports, and shun drugs, which he said are the root of the present insecurity in the country.