Nigerian teams will not participate in any international Basketball competition for the next two years. This is as a result of an approval given by the Federal Government for  the immediate withdrawal of Nigeria from all international basketball competitions with immediate effect. The Minister of Youth and Sports Development; Sunday Akin Dare disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Abuja earlier today (thursday). The Minister, represented by Ismaila Abubakar, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, said a committee would be set up to oversee basketball leagues in the country. “Following the unending crisis which have plagued and nearly crippled the development of basketball in Nigeria, President Buhari has approved the withdrawal of Nigeria from all international basketball competitions for a period of two years. “This is with immediate effect,” he said. The minister added that the withdrawal of Nigeria is in order to concentrate efforts by government towards revamping the sport from the grassroots as well as domestic leagues which have become moribund. “This will also allow for the setting up of an Interim Management Committee (IMC) to oversee the management and development of the domestic basketball leagues in Nigeria,”