President Muhammadu Buhari has lifted the ban placed on the Nigerian basketball team and ordered the immediate return of the team to the international basketball competition.

The ban on the team was lifted following an appeal letter addressed to the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, signed by the leader of the Nigeria Basketball Federation board ,Musa Kida dated June 17th.

This was disclosed in a press briefing by the the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Ismaila Abubakar on Thursday in Abuja.

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Abubakar said, “The letter appealed to the Minister to use his good offices to approach President Buhari for the reversal of the 2-year withdrawal of Nigeria from international basketball competitions

“Flowing from the above and upon a review, the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development approached and placed these developments before President Muhammadu Buhari being one that is committed to youth development and desirous of ensuring that they are availed of all opportunities in sports and other endeavors considered the appeal and in the overriding spirit of national interest, love for our youth, and in order to avoid sending basket development into a long period of suspension when NBBF have now committed to the resolution of the issues which precipitated the withdrawal in the first place has approved the return of Nigeria to international basketball immediately.”

“Failure to do this, as with any constitutionally bound sovereign nation, will attract sanctions. There was first a country before any organization or federation that bears the Nigerian name, colours and flag us representing Nigeria.

“Secondly, that all those that lead government organizations and in this case our federations, hold such positions in trust for the Government and people of Nigeria under the direct supervision of the Minister of Youth and Sports,” he said.

Recall that president Buhari had in May withdrawn the team from the international competition and placed a two year ban on them, which was announced by the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare.