Ayitey Powers arrested over alleged death threat against NSA boss

The Accra Regional Police Command has arrested former professional boxer Michael Ayitey Okai, popularly known as “Ayitey Powers,” over an alleged death threat against Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA).

The 46-year-old was arrested on Monday, August 24, 2026, in connection with the alleged threat.

According to the Police, the arrest followed the publication of a viral video on social media in which he is alleged to have issued the death threat.

In the video, Ayitey Powers reportedly claimed he had visited Ampofo Ankrah’s office and accused him of cancelling a boxing promotion he had planned, criticising the NSA over what he described as inadequate support for the sport.

He further alleged that the NSA boss had refused to take his calls before he issued the warning that “something will happen” if the situation continued.

The arrest comes days after the Ghana Boxing Interim Management Committee (GBIMC) petitioned police to act.

In a statement dated August 20 and signed by Chairman Samir Captan, the cite condemned the alleged social media posts as criminal, asserting that threatening public officials on digital platforms is unacceptable, and cited what it described as Ayitey Powers’ documented history of online verbal attacks, including past insults directed at Captan himself and Vice Chairman Professor Azumah Nelson.

The suspect had previously sought to walk back his comments; police say he had earlier apologised to the NSA boss, insisting his remarks were not intended as a genuine threat.

He remains in police custody assisting with investigations. In a statement, the Police said investigations are ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged threat and determine the appropriate action in accordance with the law, while cautioning the public against circulating unverified information about the case while the investigation continues.