Sheriff Hammed, Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the Nigeria Judo Federation (NJF), has pledged to restore stakeholders’ confidence in the sport and rebuild the federation following a prolonged leadership crisis.

Hammed made the commitment after the National Sports Commission (NSC) inaugurated a six-member caretaker committee to oversee the federation’s affairs and prepare the ground for fresh elections.

He commended the NSC and its Director-General, Bukola Olopade, for intervening after the International Judo Federation (IJF) dissolved the federation’s board, describing the decision as an important step towards restoring stability and credibility to Nigerian judo.  

“I sincerely appreciate the leadership of the National Sports Commission for taking decisive responsibility in addressing the long-standing crisis in Nigerian Judo,” Hammed said, according to a statement issued by the committee.

He stressed that the committee understood the scale of the responsibility before it and would prioritise due process, stakeholder engagement and the overall interest of the sport above personal or sectional considerations.  

The caretaker committee comprises Hammed as chairman, Ekuta Ewa, Sule Musa, Bashir Musa Bassey and Oladipupo Idowu as members, with Amayo Ngozi serving as secretary.

The NSC approved the committee under Section 16 of the National Sports Commission Act, 2023, as a transitional arrangement pending the conduct of fresh elections and the inauguration of a duly elected board.  

As part of its mandate, the committee is expected to review and amend the federation’s constitution to meet the requirements of the International Judo Federation.

It must also convene an Annual General Meeting to consider and approve the amended constitution, organise fresh elections and ensure a smooth handover to the incoming board.

The commission has directed the committee to carry out its responsibilities with transparency, diligence and impartiality while working with stakeholders across the sport.

Hammed said the immediate priority was to establish a credible administrative structure capable of addressing past challenges and laying a sustainable foundation for future development.

“Our mandate is to reform Judo, restore confidence, strengthen governance, develop athletes and technical officials, and ultimately return Nigerian Judo to its rightful place,” he said.  

He also noted that governance and administrative challenges were not confined to judo, pointing to difficulties confronting other sports, including gymnastics, basketball and kickboxing.

According to him, resolving such problems requires honest engagement, stronger systems and a commitment to long-term stability rather than temporary solutions.

Hammed called on judokas, clubs, coaches, athletes and officials to support the rebuilding process, promising that the committee would be guided by fairness, discipline, transparency and accountability.  

Despite the administrative difficulties, Nigerian judo recorded a notable achievement in 2026 when Enku Ekuta won bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, securing Nigeria’s first judo medal at the competition since 2002.  

The caretaker committee’s success will now depend on its ability to resolve outstanding governance issues, meet the international federation’s requirements and deliver a credible electoral process.