Minister of youths and sports development Sunday Dare has called on the attention of security agencies following threats made by former World boxing champion Bash Ali.
Last weekend, the boxer released a video on social media where he accused Mr Dare of extorting “millions of naira” from him as part of the process to organise a Guinness World Record boxing fight for him.
However, in a statement by his spokesman Toyin Ibitoye, Dare debunked Ali’s allegation, adding that he would press forward with the N5 billion defamation suit against the boxer.
“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,” the statement read.
“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.”
Mr Ibitoye added in the statement that “as a responsible public office holder, the 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 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.”
He said the minister had briefed lawyer Bode Olanipekun to continue with the prosecution of the case.
