$12Million Corruption Scandal Rocks Aso Rock as Tinubu’s Aide Accused of Duping Boxing Champion

$12Million Corruption Scandal Rocks Aso Rock as Tinubu’s Aide Accused of Duping Boxing Champion

 

 

A major corruption scandal has rocked Nigeria’s seat of power, Aso Rock, as celebrated boxing champion and Guinness World Record hopeful, Bash Ali, publicly accused senior government officials of diverting $12 million intended for a historic international boxing event.

 

 

In a letter addressed directly to President Tinubu, Bash Ali alleged that the Federal Government collected $12 million in advance for a historic Guinness World Record Boxing Championship event but failed to deliver due to corruption and extortion by senior officials.

 

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Ali named Sunday Dare, the former Minister of Youth and Sports and now Special Adviser on Media, and Barrister D.A. Muhammad, formerly of the Ministry of Sports Development, as key figures in the scandal.

 

He also implicated John Enoh, the current Minister of State for Trade and Investment, accusing him of demanding an additional $1 million before the project was eventually abandoned.

 

“The only event in sports in Nigeria that would, apart from MONEY, bring honor and glory is the Guinness World Record Boxing Championship Fight, but CORRUPTION has stalled it,” Bash Ali wrote in his letter.

 

Ali said he had met with President Tinubu multiple times to seek intervention, but despite these discussions, no progress has been made.

 

“Despite my several meetings and discussions with you on the subject matter, the fight is still not happening,” he lamented.

 

According to Bash Ali, the proposed boxing championship was poised to be historic — the first of its kind outside the United States — and could have set records as the most-watched Pay-Per-View fight ever. He revealed that 132 countries had already agreed to participate, a move that could have boosted Nigeria’s economy through tourism and global attention.

 

The champion noted that over the past two decades, the government has constituted the “Bash Ali Boxing Project Local Organizing Committee” (LOC) three times, most recently in 2019, yet the event has never materialized due to persistent corruption by officials who continue to occupy powerful offices.

 

In his passionate letter, Bash Ali issued three demands to President Tinubu:

 

Immediate re-launch of the Local Organizing Committee to revive the boxing project.

 

Full investigation of all officials implicated in the scandal, with appropriate punishment if found guilty.

 

A refund of all monies extorted from him.

 

“Mr. President Sir, after the FGN has collected an advance of USD 12M and extorted millions of Naira from me… I still refused to give up on my country, Nigeria. I want to fight in my country, Nigeria — so help me, please,” he appealed.

 

Source: Politics Nigeria