The Kwara State Sports Commission has announced the outright disbandment of all sporting bodies under its watch.
The announcement, delivered through the Commission’s spokesperson, Saheed Abdullahi, in Ilorin on Thursday, said the decision was reached after a board session held on September 12, 2025. During the meeting, members reviewed the performance of the associations before voting unanimously for their dissolution.
The Commission explained that the restructuring is intended to breathe new life into the associations by bringing in energetic and passionate individuals, while a few of the more effective past members may also be retained to ensure continuity.
Officials whose tenure has ended were told to surrender every record, file, and item belonging to their associations to the secretaries without delay. While acknowledging their service, the Commission encouraged them to remain active supporters of sports in the state and to respond whenever their expertise is needed in future projects.
This major shake-up follows recent controversy in Kwara’s athletics sector. The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) had placed an indefinite suspension on the Kwara State Athletics Association after uncovering that a previously sanctioned coach, Hammid Muritala, was still being engaged in official activities.
Muritala was banned for a decade after admitting to giving a young athlete prohibited substances in Ilorin two years ago. Despite the punishment, he was seen with Kwara’s contingent at the Golden League in Benin City — an act that drew outrage from observers.
Reacting to the matter, Commission Chairman, Bola Magaji, assured that officials who allowed the lapse would be held accountable. He stressed that the welfare of young athletes must always come first and revealed that Muritala had already been placed on suspension by the state since October 2022, months before the AFN sent its formal notice in February. Magaji also disclosed that steps are being taken to appeal the federation’s decision in order to restore Kwara’s place in national athletics.
