Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Barrister Solomon Dalung, on Tuesday, inaugurated a five-man ministerial investigation committee on dope related violation at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India.
Speaking at the event held in his office, Dalung stated that the committee was set up with a view to correcting the injustice done.
According to him, two persons were indicted then but one person, an athlete, was sanctioned with a two-year ban, which the athlete had since served.
He stated that the athlete sanctioned was the one who implicated the official but nothing was done to punish the said official, who is now the vice-president of the sport federation.
Dalung informed that many petitions were written on the issue but the then leadership of the ministry failed to do anything on the matter, which he said, “has been giving me sleepless nights”.
He noted that the responsibility of the committee was enormous adding that, “if you discharge it diligently, you will leave a legacy for posterity.”
He charged the committee to be fair and also establish whether the Nigerian government acted in any manner to cover up, saying that if the government did, the committee should mention who did that.
The investigation committee, according to Dalung, had a period of 21 days to complete its assignment.
The minister declared that the committee had an unlimited power in investigating the issue, adding that it was also empowered to invite anyone, including himself, in the ministry in the course of its assignment.
Responding, the chairman of the committte, Pius Oteh, expressed appreciation to the minister for the confidence reposed in members.
Other members of the committee are Danjuma Mohammed; General Johnny Hamakin; Oloruntoba Femi and Olusegun Akinlota, who will serve as secretary.