Hammed pledges to restore confidence in Nigerian Judo

Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the Nigeria Judo Federation, Sheriff Hammed, has pledged to restore the confidence of stakeholders in the sport, while praising the National Sports Commission and its Director-General, Bukola Olopade, for stepping in to end the federation’s prolonged leadership crisis, the committee said in a statement issued on Saturday.

The National Sports Commission approved the six-member committee on Friday, after the International Judo Federation dissolved the federation’s board. The approval was made under Section 16 of the National Sports Commission Act, 2023, according to a statement signed on October 9 by Kola Daniel, Special Assistant on Media in the Office of the Director General of the commission. The committee serves as a transitional body until fresh elections produce a new board.

Besides Hammed, the committee includes Ekuta Ewa, Sule Musa, Bashir Musa Bassey and Oladipupo Idowu, with Amayo Ngozi as Secretary.

In its statement, issued after the inauguration, the Caretaker Committee said the commission deserved credit for acting decisively.

“I sincerely appreciate the leadership of the National Sports Commission for taking decisive responsibility in addressing the long-standing crisis in Nigerian Judo and for entrusting me and members of the Caretaker Committee with the responsibility of restoring stability, credibility and progress to the Nigeria Judo Federation,” Hammed said.

“This is not a responsibility we take lightly. We understand the magnitude of the task before us and remain committed to doing the right thing by following due process, engaging genuine stakeholders and placing the interests of Nigerian Judo above all personal or sectional considerations.”

Hammed said judo should become an example of how a sport can recover from a long crisis, and noted that others face similar problems.

“The challenges confronting the sport are not unique, as other sports, including gymnastics, basketball and kickboxing, are experiencing similar governance and administrative difficulties. What is important is the willingness to confront these challenges honestly and establish sustainable systems for the future,” he said.

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“Our mandate is clear: to reform Judo, restore confidence, strengthen governance, develop athletes and technical officials, and ultimately return Nigerian Judo to its rightful place.”

The commission has told the committee to amend the federation’s constitution to meet the International Judo Federation’s requirements, convene an Annual General Meeting to approve it, and organise elections. It must then hand over to the elected board. The commission urged the members to act with diligence, transparency and impartiality.

The federation’s problems have been well documented. Even so, the sport had a high point in 2026, when Enku Ekuta won bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Nigeria’s first judo medal there since 2002.

Hammed also thanked the Inspector-General of Police for his support.

“As a true judoka who appreciates the values, discipline and spirit of Judo, his commitment to the growth of the sport is deeply appreciated,” he said. He called on judokas, clubs, coaches, athletes and officials to join the rebuilding effort and promised transparency, fairness, discipline and accountability.