Abuja Court Dismisses Bash Ali’s ₦500B Suit Against Ex-Sports Minister Sunday Dare

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has struck out a ₦500 billion lawsuit filed by former boxing champion Bash Ali against former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, and the National Sports Commission.

Presiding over the matter, Justice U.P. Kekemeke of Court 4, Maitama, ruled that the case was statute-barred, lacked merit, and constituted a waste of judicial time. The court found no evidence of a contractual agreement between the Ministry or Mr. Dare and Bash Ali regarding the proposed Guinness World Record boxing bout.

Key Findings from the Court:
No Contract Signed: The court confirmed that neither the Ministry nor Mr. Dare signed any agreement to host the Guinness World Record fight.

False Allegations: Claims of a $12 million payment and ₦13 million extortion were found to be baseless. Mr. Dare was not in office during the alleged $12 million transaction and had no involvement.

Settlement Clarified: Bash Ali had previously won a ₦28 million judgment against ex-Minister Solomon Dalung. A later ₦15 million out-of-court settlement was reached and paid, with documentation. The ₦13 million difference is now being misrepresented as extortion.

No Government Endorsement: Over 19 years and five administrations, Bash Ali’s fight proposal has never received official approval, reflecting longstanding doubts about its viability.

Official Warning Issued: In January 2020, the Ministry issued a formal letter cautioning Bash Ali against making false claims about government support for the fight.

The court’s decision effectively ends a legal saga that has spanned several years and multiple sports ministers, with the judge emphasizing the need to protect public officials from unfounded defamation.