Defence Minister Unveils South-East Basketball Championship, Donates ₦2m To Abia Youth Camp

The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), has announced plans to establish a South-East Regional Basketball Championship to identify and develop grassroots talent across the five states in the region.

General Musa made the announcement in Umuahia, Abia State, after visiting the Umuahia Township Stadium at the end of a three-day official working visit to the state, according to a statement issued on Saturday by his Special Assistant (Media), Leah Katung-Babatunde.

The Minister interacted with participants at the inaugural multi-age basketball camp organised by the Crossover Foundation, an initiative led by Nigerians in the diaspora and basketball stars, the Achiuwa brothers.

He commended the foundation and the Abia State Government for collaborating to expand opportunities for young people through sports, describing the initiative as a positive step towards grassroots talent development.

As part of his support for the programme, General Musa announced an immediate donation of ₦2 million to the camp, expressing confidence that the proposed regional championship would provide a platform for talented young basketball players from across the South-East to showcase their abilities.

The Defence Minister said the competition would bring together emerging players from Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states, with the aim of identifying future stars and strengthening basketball development in the region.

He also urged parents to encourage their children to participate in organised sporting activities, stressing that sports play a vital role in instilling discipline, leadership qualities and national unity.

General Musa further disclosed that the Armed Forces of Nigeria would soon embark on targeted sports recruitment programmes designed to create career opportunities for outstanding young athletes interested in serving in the military while pursuing their sporting ambitions.

In recognition of his support for the initiative, the organisers presented the Minister with a signed basketball on behalf of NBA player Precious Achiuwa.

The proposed championship is expected to complement ongoing efforts to strengthen grassroots sports development and provide a pathway for talented basketball players to progress to higher levels of competition.