Special Suicide Squad Defeats NATO in Thrilling DECACUP Final Showdown

Iyke Bede

Nigeria’s eSports scene is making palpable progress, with its impact most strongly felt in Lagos, where competitive gaming is steadily gaining traction. A recent testament to this growth is the conclusion of the fourth season of DECACUP, one of the region’s premier tournaments, which featured Call of Duty Mobile (CODM). Special Suicide Squad (SSS) emerged as the champions, defeating rival group NATO in a thrilling final.

Organised by 10N8E, an indigenous eSports provider based in Lagos, the tournament captured the spirit of the local gaming community. It engaged participants in various gaming activities, including PC games, virtual games, board games, and popular music. This set the stage for an epic duel between the finalists, who took the stage to battle it out in the multiplayer combat game.

Walking into the battleground, NATO members knew exactly what they were up against. SSS had maintained a perfect record throughout the tournament, winning every match. However, NATO, the underdog, put up a fierce fight in the best-of-seven final. SSS took the lead by winning the first round, but NATO responded by equalising in the next. By the fourth round, the score remained tied, creating a nail-biting atmosphere. In the end, SSS narrowly edged out NATO, winning four rounds to NATO’s three.

Adebayo Onigbanjo, founder of 10N8E, expressed his enthusiasm for the support he received in organising the fourth edition of the tournament, which featured a prize pool of ₦250,000. His excitement is also fuelled by the growing interest in eSports, as evidenced by the strong turnout.

“The Call of Duty: Mobile community in Nigeria is growing at an incredible pace,” said Onigbanjo. “We’ve gone from a niche group of players to a thriving culture where gamers are investing time, energy, and passion into elevating the competitive scene.”

He added, “The DECACUP was designed to be more than just a tournament – it’s a platform that showcases the immense talent in Nigeria’s gaming scene. Season 4 is particularly special because it reflects the dedication of the players and the support of the wider gaming community.

“What amazes me the most is the players’ commitment. Many of them go the extra mile, designing their own jerseys, arranging their own accommodation, and showing up ready to compete at the highest level. It’s this drive that inspires us to keep pushing the boundaries with DECACUP.”

Onigbanjo also revealed that future editions will feature a larger prize pool, with players scouted from university campuses to foster eSports communities and raise awareness.

“Our vision goes beyond the tournaments. We will introduce campus tours to discover the best talents across the country, making the DECACUP finale even more competitive,” he explained. “This will allow us to expand the prize pool and provide more opportunities for players to showcase their skills on a national stage.”

At the end of the tournament, Onigbanjo acknowledged the massive turnout, the impressive skill displayed by this edition’s players, and the support from well-meaning organisations. However, he also noted that the event revealed unique gaps that would be addressed head-on before the tournament’s next edition. To him, Nigeria must become synonymous with eSports in the near future.