Shettima Mohammad Shagir, a presidential candidate in the upcoming Nigeria Shooting Federation (NSF) elections, has pledged to align the federation’s objectives with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, aimed at enhancing sports development across the country.
Shettima made this vow while presenting his manifesto to promote shooting sports before the Electoral Committee of the National Sports Commission (NSC) during the national sports federation board elections in Abuja yesterday.
He praised the new initiative that mandates candidates to publicly share their manifestos, recognising it as a significant step towards transparency and accountability in sports administration.
“The idea of sharing our manifesto is a welcome development, as anyone seeking an elective position should enlighten the public about their intentions. It is a positive advancement, and I hope it will be sustained.
“For me, my motivation to present myself as the president of the Shooting Federation is to align with the Renewed Hope agenda by focusing on coaching people at the grassroots level. I want to bring shooting, which is my passion, to the grassroots and provide youth with opportunities to legitimately engage in the sport.
“In the last four years of shooting in Nigeria, all the competitions we participated in were, to the best of my knowledge, poorly organised. The participants were assembled haphazardly, without a systematic training process. If we introduce a proper and systematic approach to recruiting individuals, it’s likely that some of you holding microphones may even have better shooting skills than some soldiers. But have you been given the opportunity?
“Once we create awareness and provide opportunities for individuals to come through the shooting federation and undergo a legitimate screening process, we will establish a system where they can connect through membership in a shooting club or sports club.
“This is our vision: to create a department that caters to these individuals, regardless of their status, as long as they have the right qualifications. We are discussing shooting here, not mere titles,” Shettima stated.
He elaborated that his motivation to run stems from a passion for transforming and professionalising shooting sports in Nigeria while expanding opportunities for grassroots participation.
“My intention in contesting the Shooting Federation election is to closely align with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda and to promote the advancement of shooting sports at all levels. Shooting is my passion, and I aspire to use it as a means of empowering Nigerians at the grassroots level,” he declared.
He underscored the importance of public awareness and community involvement, pledging to engage with local communities to unearth hidden talents in rural areas.
“We must involve those at the grassroots level—visiting villages, understanding their challenges, and illustrating how sports can provide opportunities for them. Through the Shooting Federation, we aim to offer everyone, regardless of their background, a genuine chance to participate,” he asserted.
