Defence Minister Launches Southeast Basketball Championship

General Christopher Gwabin Musa (retd.), the Minister of Defence, announced plans to create a South East Regional Basketball Championship aimed at discovering and nurturing grassroots sports talent in the region. This announcement was made in Umuahia after his three-day official visit to Abia State.

A statement from Leah Katung-Babatunde, his special assistant on media, highlighted his interactions with young participants at a multi-age basketball camp organized by the Crossover Foundation, which was sponsored by Nigerian diaspora basketball icons Godsgift Achiuwa and Precious Achiuwa. General Musa, an avid basketball player, donated ₦2,000,000 to support the camp's operations and praised the collaboration between the foundation and the Abia State Government in enhancing youth sports infrastructure.

He assured that the upcoming championship would unite emerging talent from all five South Eastern states and urged parents to encourage their children to engage in organized sports, emphasizing athletics' role in character building and national cohesion. He also mentioned that the Armed Forces of Nigeria would soon initiate sports recruitment drives for promising young athletes.