Thursday, March 28, 2024

How we stopped Bash Ali – Minister’s SA

The Special  Assistant on Media  to the Minister of Youth and Sports, Nneka Ikem Anibeze has described as  falsehood, a story being circulated by former cruiser weight boxing champion, Bashiru Ali aka Bash Ali that he was assaulted by Minister’s security.

The Minister’s aide  said the text message by Ali is an unsubstantiated claim with intent to deceive the public.

The SMS being disseminated by the boxer claimed that he was currently admitted at the trauma ward of the National Hospital Abuja after he was manhandled by the Minister’s security.

According to the SA Media, “Ali came  to see the Minister and was told to wait  at the Minister’s waiting room with the 10 people who accompanied him.

“The Hungarian Ambassador to Nigeria,  Prof. Gabor Ternak who had an earlier appointment for2pm arrived a few minutes later and was ushered in by the Protocol officer. Bash Ali barricaded the entrance to the office of the Minister with the men who accompanied him as he questioned why the ambassador would be allowed to see the Minister while he, who came earlier was not given access. ”

The uniformed  security tried to persuade Bash and his men to leave the Minister’s Secretary’s office but to no avail. The boxer who was carrying a file and mobile phone carefully went to the Secretary’s table to drop his valuables and then fell flat on his back across the doorway.

” Bash Ali was neither touched, shoved or manhandled by security operatives of the Minister. He feigned that he had been beaten up but we challenge him to produce physical evidence of assault, gun butt bumps, bruises, swelling or otherwise as being presented to the public.

“He has a record of such antics following his despair to defend a world boxing title at over 60.

“In 2013, he alleged that he was beaten up by security operatives of the then Minister of Youth and Sports Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi.  In 2015, the WBF cruiser weight boxing champion was detained in Kuje prison following an altercation with the MD of a bank over funds for his title fight.”

Anibeze described Ali as an attention seeker who would stop at nothing to get funds for a purported  World Guinness book of records fight.

” He needs to find alternative means of raising money for this World Guinness book of records title fight as government is finding it difficult to sustain programs on the sports calendar of sports federations at this time of recession let alone a title fight by a professional boxer.

“His allegation of assault by security personnel of the Minister is cheap blackmail and won’t fly. Moreover, his forceful attempt to stop the Hungarian ambassador from gaining entry to the Minister’s office is a national embarrassment by a legendary boxer like Bash and he should tender an unreserved apology for his public misbehavior”. Anibeze said.

The incident has already been reported to the police while other security agencies have been duly notified .

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