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Glasgow 2026: “Had to Redeem Myself” — Chukwuebuka Enekwechi Opens Up After Finally Winning Commonwealth Gold for Nigeria
For Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, Thursday night’s triumph was about far more than a winning throw. It was about redemption.
It was about finally putting behind the heartbreak of Birmingham four years ago.
READ ALSO: GOLD AT LAST! Chukwuebuka Enekwechi Delivers Nigeria’s Eighth Gold in Commonwealth Games Thriller
And it was about fulfilling a dream he has carried since his Commonwealth Games debut eight years ago.
The Nigerian shot put star delivered Team Nigeria’s eighth gold medal at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, producing a winning throw of 21.07m to edge New Zealand’s Tom Walsh (21.03m) in one of the closest finals of the athletics programme.
England’s Scott Lincoln completed the podium with 20.99m.
Despite standing on top of the podium, Enekwechi admitted it was far from his best performance.
“Physically and mentally, but I’m glad it went my way,” he said after the competition.
Asked what clicked during the final, the Nigerian surprisingly revealed that very little actually did.
“Nothing. Nothing worked in my favour. If you watched the competition, I struggled and I was pretty pensive the entire time.”
Rather than feeling dominant, the African record holder said he simply relied on years of preparation and determination.
“But we try hard, we train for this competition, so maybe on a different day it would have been a worse result. I think because we’ve circled this on the calendar for the past four years.”
His victory was made even sweeter because of the painful memories he carried into Glasgow.
At the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, Enekwechi competed with both adductor muscles torn, battling through injury before finishing fourth and narrowly missing out on a medal.
That disappointment stayed with him throughout the last Olympic cycle.
“Last time I had some torn adductors—literally both adductors were torn. I got fourth, didn’t steal a medal. So I had to kind of redeem myself, and I’m glad I did today.”
The gold medal also completes a journey that began at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, where Enekwechi announced himself with a silver medal.
He admitted upgrading that silver had become an obsession.
“It’s going to be amazing. I’ve dreamt about it since Gold Coast 2018. I got a silver in my debut Commonwealth Games, and I wanted to upgrade it.”
Instead of waiting the usual four years, delays meant he had to wait twice as long to achieve that dream.
“Again, I had to wait eight years instead of four. So I’m glad it’s finally coming true.”
The victory crowns years of consistency for one of Nigeria’s greatest field athletes.
Enekwechi has represented the country at multiple Olympic Games and World Championships, broken barriers by becoming the first Nigerian to throw beyond 22 metres, and established himself among the world’s elite shot putters.
Now, he finally has the Commonwealth title to match his remarkable résumé.
His success also lifts Team Nigeria’s medal tally to 15 medals—8 gold, 5 silver and 2 bronze—as the country’s outstanding campaign in Glasgow continues.
For Enekwechi, however, the statistics matter less than the journey.
After years of setbacks, injuries and unfinished business, the Nigerian giant finally stood where he always believed he belonged—at the top of the Commonwealth podium.
The Peace Ambassadors Joint Task Force (JTF) has taken a significant step towards strengthening community security in Plateau State with the commissioning of several security outposts, deployment of patrol motorcycles, and installation of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras across flashpoints in Jos North Local Government Area.
The security initiative, spearheaded by the Founder of Evangelical Biblical Outreach Ministries International (EBOMI), Prophet Isa El-Buba, is designed to reinforce community policing, improve intelligence gathering, and support conventional security agencies in tackling crime and maintaining peace.
The commissioning ceremony, held on Thursday, July 30, 2026, attracted representatives of the Nigeria Police Force, other security agencies, traditional and religious leaders, as well as residents from different communities.
Peace Ambassadors JTF: A Community-Based Security Network
The Peace Ambassadors Joint Task Force is a volunteer-based community security network established to complement the work of Nigeria’s conventional security agencies through intelligence gathering, surveillance, rapid response, and community engagement.
The initiative brings together trained volunteers who work closely with security agencies to safeguard lives and property, monitor vulnerable communities, and provide early warning information capable of preventing criminal activities before they escalate.
Unlike conventional security formations, the Peace Ambassadors JTF focuses on grassroots participation, encouraging residents to take ownership of the security of their communities while operating within the framework of the law and in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant agencies.
Security Outposts Commissioned
During the exercise, Prophet El-Buba commissioned security outposts located at Bauchi Junction, Gondola, TT&T Junction, and several other strategic locations identified as security flashpoints within Jos North.
He disclosed that the newly commissioned facilities would serve as operational bases for the volunteer guards recently deployed after successfully completing their passing-out parade.
“As I commission these security posts today, I am pleased to announce that we have built over 20 security posts across Jos North and other locations where these men and women will operate from to secure our streets and neighbourhoods,” El-Buba said.
According to him, the outposts are expected to improve visibility, enhance rapid response to distress calls, and strengthen coordination between volunteers and security agencies.
CCTV Surveillance and Patrol Motorcycles
In addition to the security outposts, the initiative also introduced CCTV surveillance across parts of Jos North to improve intelligence gathering and assist law enforcement agencies in monitoring criminal activities.
Branded security motorcycles were also deployed to enhance mobility, enabling volunteer personnel to respond quickly to emergencies and patrol communities that are difficult to access with vehicles.
The combination of surveillance technology and increased mobility is expected to improve crime prevention and provide faster intervention during security incidents.
Addressing the newly deployed volunteers, Prophet El-Buba urged them to remain disciplined, professional, and committed to the mandate of protecting their communities.
He warned against misconduct, abuse of authority, or any compromise capable of undermining public confidence in the initiative.
“Anyone who is part of this volunteer network and compromises the standards we have set will be dealt with accordingly. Such a person will become the first example because we cannot afford to endanger the lives of these great volunteers,” he warned.
Security Is a Collective Responsibility
Prophet El-Buba stressed that addressing insecurity requires collective effort and cannot be left solely to the military or the police.
He applauded members of the Peace Ambassadors JTF for volunteering their time and energy to protect their communities and urged Nigerians to support security institutions through lawful contributions and logistics where possible.
“The police alone cannot get this job done. The military and our armed forces, who are paying the supreme price, cannot do it alone either. Every one of you who has volunteered your time, energy and everything about yourselves to secure our communities deserves our deepest appreciation,” he said.
He further challenged well-meaning Nigerians to contribute towards strengthening the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies.
“Today, I challenge every Nigerian whom God has blessed with resources to contribute to the Nigeria Police Force and to the security of our nation. What I have done is to provide a little support so that people from different formations can come together as one united force.”
Police Commend Peace Ambassadors Initiative
Speaking on behalf of the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, the Divisional Police Officer of Nasarawa Gwom Division, Malam Saidu Ventim, described the initiative as timely and highly commendable.
He said the security outposts and CCTV infrastructure would significantly improve intelligence gathering, early warning mechanisms, and collaboration between the Peace Ambassadors Joint Task Force and the Nigeria Police Force.
Ventim assured residents that the police would continue to work closely with the volunteer security network in addressing emerging security threats across the state.
Community Applauds Intervention
Residents also welcomed the initiative, describing it as a practical solution to improving security at the grassroots.
Speaking at Bauchi Road Junction, community leader Yahaya Mohammed Garba said the security outposts would help reduce petty theft, street crime, and other criminal activities affecting the area.
He called on other public-spirited individuals and organisations to invest in similar community-driven security initiatives that promote peace and protect lives.
Expansion Planned Across Plateau and Southern Kaduna
Prophet El-Buba disclosed that the Peace Ambassadors Joint Task Force would not be limited to Jos North.
He revealed plans to establish similar volunteer security structures in other insecurity-prone local government areas across Plateau State as well as parts of Southern Kaduna, with the aim of supporting ongoing efforts to restore peace, improve community resilience, and strengthen collaboration between citizens and security agencies.
As security challenges continue to evolve, the Peace Ambassadors Joint Task Force is positioning itself as a grassroots partner in community policing, providing trained volunteers, surveillance infrastructure, and operational support to complement the work of conventional security agencies while promoting safer communities through collective responsibility.
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