Nigeria Police Taekwondo Association (NIPOTA), has announced the commencement of the 9th Inspector General of Police (IGP), Open Taekwondo Championship.
 
The annual event, introduced in 1995, is expected to hold at  the Nigeria Police Badminton Complex, Police College, Ikeja, Lagos state from 27th to 30th July, 2021.
 
According to the organizers, children and teens will compete on the 28th while adult players will lock horns on Thursday and Friday, 29th and 30th July, 2021, respectively.
 
NIPOTA Chairperson, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Stella Ebikefe, a Taekwondo Gold Medalist for the Nigeria Police said the competition was aimed at improving the relationship between the Police and members of the public.
 
She ,however, revealed that the event which has always been a colourful affair that attracts participants from all walks of life within Nigeria and other African countries, both as players and spectators, will have limited participants this year.
 
This, she explained, was due to the COVID-19 pandemic protocol. “There will be no spectators, except for the special guests, athletes and officials only.”
 
She further stated that the events will “create  an avenue for both the Police Force and the society to come together as one in a happy mood, confirming the proof that  Police Officers are friends of the society.”
 
According to her, “Apart from the competitiveness of the event where winners emerged and rewarded, it will also serve as an art of self-defence, encourages recreation and exercise to boost health and body fitness.
 
“This will surely give credibility  to the host state and help to douse any wrong impression on its relationship with the Nigeria Police Force .”
 
The awards received by winners, she added, would serve as an incentive.
 
IGP Alkali Baba Usman, NIPOTA Matron, Mrs Abiola Awote, top Police Management Team and select  guests are expected to grace the event.
 
The 9th IGP Open Championship is supported by the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation, World Taekwondo and the Nigeria Police Force.
 
Taekwondo is a combat sport developed during the 1940s and 1950s  by Korean Martial artists with experience in  martial arts such as Karate, Chinese arts and indigenous Korean  Martial arts traditions such as Taekkyon and so on.