Former Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mike Okiro has commended the leadership of MOP Stars FC Academy for  commitment to  the    development and engagement of  young Nigerian football talents.

 Okiro gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) on the sideline of the  Unveiling Dinner  for   players of the  academy on Saturday night in Abuja.

The event was to formally unveil 40 youngsters of MOP Stars FC invited to   participate in the 2025 Dana World Youth Tournament in Denmark scheduled to hold  from July 21 to 26.

The former Police boss also called on well-meaning Nigerians to provide nurturing   platforms to  engage budding  talents in sports in order  to curb youthful  vices across the country.

According to Okiro who chaired the occasion, there are teeming young talents in sports, especially in football, that need to be offered opportunities to showcase their talents.

He urged stakeholders in the sport sector, as well as Nigerians of goodwill to invest in ventures that seek to discover, develop and showcase budding talents.

Okiro  lauded  the leadership of  the MOP Stars FC  Academy for enlisting the lads  and for  securing their  participation  in the Dana tournament, adding that the feat would launch them into professional football career.

“Football is a money-making venture, and it  is an opportunity for gifted young Nigerian’s to be  productively engaged,  So I congratulate  MOP Star FC Academy for this initiative to get our young men busy.

“I hope and called on Nigerians  who have the wherewithal  to put our youth together through sport  to reduce  crimes and  insecurity for us to have a better society.

“We have the talents everywhere, and government cannot do it alone, that is why everybody must be involved.

“I think Nigeria  should be proud to have somebody like Dr. Suleiman Adedoh who has mobilised resources to  engage our  youths  who will  take care of themselves and their families from the opportunities ahead.

“I also want to urge these boys  who have been selected to represent us at the Dana tournament in Denmark, to give good account of themselves and make Nigeria proud”, he said.

Earlier,  Adejoh, president of MOP Stars FC, said   both the under 16 and the under 19 teams of the club have  been invited to participate at the  Dana tournament.

He expressed delight that the tournament was an opportunity for talented young Nigerians to showcase their talents on global stage and get opportunities.

He said the club was working towards discovery, development and empowerment of Nigeria’s budding talents in football.

“The Messengers of Peace (MOP) Stars Football Academy was born out of the need to preach peace in Nigeria through sports.

“It is also to engage young Nigerians positively, while also contributing to the development of football.

“As I scout for young talents across the country, it is obvious that our country is blessed with  gifted and passionate young people  who sincerely need platforms to express themselves.

“We are preparing them for  the Dana tournament where 50 nations of the world are coming to play these young lads, so we are camping for two months before we leave for the tournament.

“This is our modest way of contributing to the peaceful coexistence that we need in our country Nigeria”, he said.

Kabiru  Sani, Coach of the Under 19 team, told NAN that the youngsters were determined to make Nigeria proud at the tournament, and therefore called for support from  Nigerians .

Prince Adejoh, captain of the Under 16 team, expressed the team’s readiness to succeed at the competition.

“We are preparing, and we are very confident that this is an opportunity to  represent our country  well on the global stage.”