Eleven teams (8 men and 3 women) have been confirmed as participants for the upcoming 3rd edition of the North Central Senior men and women, Handball Championships, to be staged for the first time, in Makurdi, Benue state.
The Chief Organizer, who happens to be the member representing the North Central Zone in the Handball Federation of Nigeria, Mr. Saidu Jibrin Ojih stated this while speaking on a radio station monitored by our correspondent in Abuja.
According to Saidu Jibrin, the tournament in Makurdi is scheduled to hold from August 19th-26th; but the preceding two editions were successfully hosted in Abuja, under the aegis of the Mega Veterans Handball Association, which will also oversee the tournament in Makurdi.
Jibrin is the chairman of the North Central Handball Association
The eight that have registered for this year championship are, Benue Buffaloes, Confluence Kings, FRSC Safety Shooters, Team Nasarawa, D-Defenders of Abuja , Niger United of Minna, Correctional Boys of Abuja and Unity Boys of Abuja
The three female teams in the mix are:Benue Queens, FRSC Safety Babes and Defenders Babes of Abuja.
According to the Chief organiser, “it is no secret that over the years, the North Central has been the mainstay of handball in Nigeria. This is verifiable by the number of teams that compete in our elite division, the Prudent Energy Handball League, and I can tell you, the region boasts about 40% of players, in our various national teams, male and female”. Jibrin added.
The last edition of the championships, was won by the FRSC owned teams, Safety Shooters and Safety Babes of Abuja.
