‘Fake FIBA letter’ sparks fresh crisis in Nigerian basketball

By Maxwell Kumoye with additional report by Ayodele Bakare

 

 

A fresh storm is brewing in Nigerian basketball after a purported letter allegedly from FIBA claiming the former board of the Nigeria Basketball Federation is authorized to remain in office and was dismissed as a blatant fraud.

The document, which has circulated widely among basketball stakeholders, suggested that the board led by Musa Kida had been granted what some described as a “stay of execution” to continue running the federation.

However, the claim has now been strongly challenged, with insiders insisting the letter is fabricated and designed to mislead stakeholders amid the ongoing leadership dispute.

According to investigations, there is no record that the Nigeria Olympic Committee recently wrote to FIBA seeking clarification on the recognized representative of the NBBF, as suggested in the circulating document. 

Consequently, it is also believed that FIBA never issued any response in 2026 regarding such an inquiry.

Several red flags have also been identified in the controversial letter. Key stakeholders, including the National Sports Commission, the Nigeria Olympic Committee, the NBBF Congress, and FIBA Africa Zone 3 were not copied in the correspondence, an unusual omission for a matter of such significance.

Even more suspicious, the document carries no official date and makes no direct reference to the tenure dispute involving the Kida-led board, whose mandate is said to have expired on January 31, 2026.

Instead, the letter merely states that FIBA has “consistently worked with the board led by Musa Kida since July 2017,” a phrase critics say has been deliberately manipulated to create the false impression of current recognition.

Sources familiar with the situation believe the wording was lifted from an old correspondence dating back to around 2018, when Nigerian basketball was divided between two rival leadership factions led by Tijjani Umar and Musa Kida following separate elections.

At the time, the NOC had written to FIBA seeking clarification on which of the two presidents should be recognized for official meetings. 

That historical exchange, insiders say, appears to have been recycled and repackaged to support the narrative that the former NBBF board still enjoys international backing.

Critics argue the alleged forgery is part of a calculated attempt to calm growing agitation among stakeholders demanding adherence to the NBBF constitution and the installation of a new leadership.

While the identity of those behind the circulating document remains unclear, observers say suspicion will naturally fall on those who stand to benefit most from the misinformation.

The controversy has now increased pressure on Nigerian sports authorities and international basketball administrators to urgently resolve the dispute.

Stakeholders are calling on the National Sports Commission, the Nigeria Olympic Committee and FIBA to swiftly clarify the federation’s leadership situation before the crisis deepens and further damages the credibility of Nigerian basketball.