The National Institute for Sports (NIS), yesterday, raised concerns over the ownership of a 200-bed hostel located opposite the Athletes Development Centre, Package B, at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

The institute also advised the National Sports Commission (NSC) to stay clear of its facilities within the stadium, insisting that the disputed hostel is an NIS property.

Speaking during a guided tour of the facility, the Head of Department, Works at NIS, Jude Abu, noted that the 200-bed hostel complex was commissioned as accommodation for NIS students during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and belongs to the institute.

Abu stated that among other evidence, the premises bear the official plaque commemorating its commissioning as an NIS facility.

He insisted that the ownership of the property is not in doubt and remains vested in the institute.

He therefore called on all unauthorised occupants and intruders to vacate the property on or before December 31, 2026. He warned that failure to comply would compel the institute to take necessary legal action.

He expressed displeasure that on September 20, the National Sports Commission removed the official NIS notice from the premises and replaced it with an eviction notice bearing the authority of the NSC.

He described the action as provocative and unlawful.

Abu reaffirmed that the position of the National Institute for Sports is that the property is an NIS facility and constitutes a vital component of the institute’s operations.

He added that the complex is particularly important for providing accommodation for students undertaking programmes at the Abuja centre.

The NIS had in a statement by Special Assistant (Media) to the institute’s Director General/Chief Executive Officer, Ben Ogbemudia, noted that the institute “is in no way subservient to the NSC,” while reaffirming its position on the ownership and control of its facilities.