By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, has commended the CNS Spikers Volleyball Team for their outstanding performance at a recent national tournament.

Abbas gave the commendation on Wednesday in Abuja, when the team presented to him trophies they won recently at the National Volleyball Premier League.

He described the achievements of the team as a source of pride for the Nigerian Navy.

The CNS emphasised the importance of sports in maintaining fitness and discipline across the Navy, noting that even the junior personnel demonstrated high levels of skill and physical preparedness.

“I feel highly honoured and proud this morning to receive the CNS spikers—our talented athletes who have gone out there and made a name for themselves, and most importantly, for the Nigerian Navy.

“I want to applaud your determination, resilience, and exceptional performance.

“I am particularly impressed by the fitness and skill level of all the athletes present, including the junior members. This demonstrates that we are selecting the best, and I encourage you to continue excelling,” he said.

Abbas also encouraged the team to mentor younger athletes and highlighted the Navy’s commitment to supporting them.

“Regarding the requests you have raised, please ensure they are articulated clearly through your chain of command. We will review them and do everything possible to support you,” he added.

Earlier, Chairman of the CNS Spikers, Navy Capt. Mark Abashi, provided details of the team’s performance, saying that both the male and female teams won trophies.

Abashi said the male team emerged champions, while the female team finished second, narrowly losing to the Nigerian Customs Service.

“Our players performed exceptionally in the tournament, competing against clubs from across Nigeria, including the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Armed Forces teams, and various state representatives from Kaduna, Kano, Enugu, and Anambra.

“We have seven awards in the male category and seven in the female. Our players won four awards for the men and three for the women.

In recognition of their performance, the tournament sponsor awarded N5 million to the male team and N3 million to the female team as tokens for participation,” he said.

Abashi also raised requests to strengthen the team further by injecting at least two additional players into both the male and female teams to enhance competitiveness, as well as new kits. (NAN)