By Princess Simon (Bureau Chief North Central, in Minna)
Tensions escalated on Wednesday morning at about the end of the 22nd Edition of the National Sports Festival (NSF) as Team Ogun athletes staged protests over unpaid camp allowances.
Demonstrations which started in the early morning have disrupted activities especially vehicular movements, with athletes blocking the main gate of Babcock University, Illisan, Ogere, a key venue for the festival.
NIGERIAN NEWSLEADER Newspaper Correspondent learnt that Dr. Ademola Are, a member of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) and President of the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF), is currently engaged in mediation talks with the protesting athletes at Babcock University to resolve the issue.
Also, unconfirmed report had it that the athletes have blocked the entrance to the M.K.O Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta in furtherance of their demands for attention and payment of their allowances in order to end the standoff.
Meanwhile, the protests have raised concerns about the smooth conduct of the festival, with authorities working to address the athletes’ grievances and restore orderliness ahead of tomorrow's formal closing ceremony.
Some Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) members who had early morning engagements were also caught up in the protest web as they could not move from one location to another to cover the last day of the spirts activities before the closing ceremony. NNL.
