Nigeria’s Sports Minister, Sunday Dare, has sued, Bashiru Ali, popularly known as Bash Ali, for defamation.
According to a press release from the office of the minister and signed by Toyin Ibitoye, the Special Assistant on multimedia, Sunday Dare said his attention was drawn to “a video circulating online in which controversial boxer, Bash Ali made defamatory, false and unsubstantiated allegations against his person.”
Continuing, the statement reads: “This recent video is irrespective and in disregard of a pending libel suit initiated by the Minister claiming damages to the sum of N5 billion against Bash Ali for defamatory allegations made in the past.
“Apart from aggravating the previous defamatory acts, in the present video, Bash Ali has threatened violence and disruptive acts against a functional unit of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“As a responsible public office holder, the Honourable Minister will not sit back and allow the threats materialize.
” If Bash Ali could have the effrontery to make and publicize a video where he not only made allegations against the person of the Hon. Minister, but also threatened to halt the operations of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, then, it is compelling that the security agencies are put on alert so as to avoid a future situation of regret where things are taken for granted.
“On a personal note, the Hon. Minister will continue to diligently press his libel claims against Bash Ali and will also seek further remedies that the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria avail him.”
Bash Ali, former World Boxing Champion, has been on a collision course Dare just as he fought his predecessors since he started campaigning for support to organise what he called Guinness Book of Record Fight in Nigeria.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports Development initially constituted a Local Organising Committee to assist in raising funds on the understanding that the project would be private sector-driven in 2019.
But apparently, Bash Ali had another idea, preferring instead that government should sponsor the project.
Since then he has fought every Sports Minister.