The Commissioner of Police in Edo State, Monday Agbonika, has called for increased investment in sports as a strategic tool to reduce crime and engage young people positively.
Agbonika made the appeal on Saturday in Benin City at the closing ceremony of the CP Monday Agbonika Chess Sequence 34 tournament, organised in his honour.
The FIDE-rated competition featured seven rounds in a Swiss rapid format and attracted 41 players from different parts of Nigeria.
He said community-oriented policing remains a key approach to crime prevention, especially through constructive youth engagement.
“As a commissioner of police, I have always advocated community-oriented policing,” he said.
“A lot of times when people talk about crime, they focus on addressing its causes, and one of the ways is to engage the youth.
“I look at these chess events and see their relevance in bringing young minds together and making it an important and interesting event.
“I also see it as a way of tackling crime.”
Agbonika stressed that expanding such initiatives would help reduce crime at the grassroots level by providing young people with meaningful alternatives and opportunities to channel their energy.
“If we can continue to champion youth engagement in sports, I think we will be able to address crime at a very interesting level,” he added.
He noted that chess and similar sporting activities help develop intellectual capacity while keeping youths productively engaged.
The police commissioner referenced the Police Athletic League (PAL) in New York as an example of a successful model where sports are used in crime prevention.
“It started small like this, but it grew and is now very popular. Many countries are trying to copy it,” he said.
Agbonika pledged continued support for programmes that promote youth development through sports and recreation.
Earlier, the convener of the tournament, Princess Adeyinka-Afolabi, said the event was organised to honour the commissioner for his consistent support for sports development in Edo State.
She said Agbonika had continuously supported police officers who are athletes by granting them time for training and competitions.
According to her, the quarterly chess tournament was created to help local players develop their skills and gain exposure.
She noted that the latest edition attracted top-rated players from several states, making it highly competitive.
“When you come to him, no matter how late the tournament is, he always supports and releases them to go for training, and they do well,” she said.
“This chess sequence series was born out of the need to give Edo State players an avenue to develop their talent.”
Participants included male and female players, youths, professionals, and corporate competitors from across the country.
