Assault: Bash Ali Reports Dalung To Osinbajo, Case Fixed For 5 April

The alleged assault case between World Boxing Federation (WBF) cruiserweight champion, Nigerian Bashiru Lawrence Ali, OON, the Sports Minister, Barrister Solomon Dalung, the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris and three other people is getting interesting by the day with the boxer taking his case to the Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo. 

PM EXPRESS had the privilege of a petition submitted to the Office of the Acting President during the week where the Edo State-born boxer narrated his ordeal on the 13 February when he was assaulted by an aide of the Sports Minister, policemen and some security agents, who according to him, were later discovered to be prison warden guarding the Minister.

Ali, who had been having running battles with Dalung over his uncooperative attitude towards the actualization of the Guinness Book of World Record Boxing Championship in Nigeria despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval of Federal Government’s support for the fight, informed Acting President how he was assaulted

“On January 30, 2017, I and three members of the LOC visited Minister Dalung at home to condole with him over the loss of his first wife. We stayed for about four hours and as we took our leave, he promised to meet with us on February 6, 2017 to sort out the International Boxing Union, IBU, deadline of February 13, 2017. From February 6-February 10, 2017, Minister Dalung was not in the office so each day the Acting Permanent Secretary played host to us. On February 9, 2017, I and members of the LOC pleaded with the Acting Permanent Secretary to ‘’invoke the doctrine of necessity’’ by writing a letter to the IBU to ask for an extension but he refused. He promised to see the minister and get back to us the next day. On February 10, 2017, we met with the Acting Permanent Secretary and he told us that the minister told him to tell us that we should see him on Monday, February 13, 2017, in the office. I asked him twice if he ‘’trust’’ the Minister and he said yes.

“On February 13, 2017, the day of the IBU deadline, I and six members of the LOC set-up by the FGN, after waiting for over four hours, Minister Dalung through his Personal Assistant, told us to go and that I should call him on phone to book another appointment while his Personal Assistant ushered in a white man who was later identified as an Ambassador. I told the personal assistant that it was wrong for the white man to see the minister while despite having an appointment and waiting for several hours, we have to come back another day.

“Sir, for having the guts to make the statement, the Police men and Minister Dalung’s aides almost killed me. I spent eight hours at the Emergency Ward and two days at the Trauma Ward, National Hospital, Abuja, ” the Boxing and Goodwill Ambassador said in the petition.

Bash Ali wants Osinbajo to intervene now as the new IBU deadline of 10 March approaches. His demands include “that Minister Dalung should once again, be directed to beat the IBU deadline by writing to the IBU that Nigeria is a safe country to host this historic fight and for Nexim Bank and Bank of Industry to put up the overdue $1million IBU Approval Fee and the balance as directed by the FGN.

“To re-inaugurate the LOC with a chairman who would be reporting directly to Your Excellency.

“To investigate my allegations against Minister Dalung and if found wanting, he should be sanctioned but if I am found to have lied on him, then, I should be sanctioned.”

Bash Ali let the Acting President realized in the petition that any money expended on the fight would just be an investment which would not go down the drain. While analyzing the benefits of the fight to the country, the wrestler turned boxing champion said: “Part of the Pay Per View, PPVTV Profits (an estimated $1 billion profit) would be used to establish five sports academies across Nigeria at $20 million each and a $20 million Sports Equipment Manufacturing Factory.

“These establishments would help to groom the Nigerian athletes to international standard, give them an avenue to be educated while engaging in sports, give them an avenue to exhibit their talents and in the process earn big time money as professionals. It will also create employment for non-athletes.

“Unprecedented level of positive publicity to show to the world that Nigeria is a safe country to visit and do business since this historic event would be shown live on PPVTV in 132 countries and over 170 country members of the IBU and the World Boxing Federation (WBF) would be in Nigeria at least two weeks to the historic event to be part of boxing history.

Opportunity for Nigeria to showcase it’s potential as a world tourism destination.

“Platforms for businesses to showcase their products and earn money during this historic event.”

Meanwhile, PM EXPRESS gathered that the case of assault Bash Ali sued at the Abuja High Court has been listed for hearing on Wednesday, 5 April. The case has been assigned to High Court 33 in Kubwa, Abuja.