Malika Andrews, the 28-year-old host of ESPN’s NBA Today, has successfully obtained a temporary restraining order against an obsessed fan who has allegedly subjected her, Stephen A. Smith, and Molly Qerim to unwarranted attention and harassment.
According to court documents acquired by TMZ Sports, Andrews filed for the restraining order against Ahmed Abubakar, a 41-year-old resident of New Jersey, who she claims has made her and her colleagues uncomfortable for the past year.
Initially dismissing Abubakar as an “overzealous fan,” Andrews received increasingly troubling messages from him on X (formerly known as Twitter) starting in September 2022. These messages allegedly contained threats and harassment.
The situation escalated when Abubakar reportedly obtained her unlisted phone number and made numerous unsolicited calls during the summer.
Allegedly, this is not the first time Abubakar has exhibited such behavior. He had previously acted similarly towards Molly Qerim, resulting in an unannounced visit to her home, leading to his arrest.
TMZ provided a screenshot of disturbing Instagram messages Abubakar sent to Andrews, in which he accused her of falsely implicating him to law enforcement. The messages contained explicit and derogatory language, along with accusations of extortion.
Andrews also expressed concerns about Abubakar’s physical presence, as he reportedly traveled to Los Angeles in an attempt to contact her, Smith, and Qerim at ESPN’s LA studio.
A judge has granted Andrews a restraining order that mandates Abubakar to stay at least 100 yards away from her, Stephen A. Smith, and her fiancé, ESPN colleague
Dave McMenamin.
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Written by:
Dana Sterling-Editor
