Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, has denied reports alleging that the United States placed him on a ‘terror watch list’ for alleged ties with Boko Haram terrorists.
Pantami, an Islamic cleric, also said he has been preaching against the terrorist sect for over 15 years.
Reports surfaced on Monday linking the former Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to late Mohammed Yusuf, founder of the radical sect.
But in a tweet, Pantami said his many teachings over the years against the group endangered his life.
He stated, “My lectures against the doctrines and all other evil people have been available for over 15 years, including debates that endangered my life against many criminals in Nigeria. If you can’t understand Hausa, get an objective Hausa speaker to translate for you objectively.”
Continuing, the minister advised Nigerians who were yet to link their Subscriber Identification Modules with their valid National Identity Numbers to do so before May 6, 2021, adding that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was poised to expose criminal elements through the NIN-SIM data linkage.
“On the issue of NIN-SIM verification to fight insecurity, there is no going back. Our priority as government based on the provision of our constitution 1999 (as amended) Section 14(2)b is security, not just economy. For sure, no going back at all. Let’s the sponsors continue,” Pantami said.
Meanwhile, NewsWireNGR, the medium behind the report has since retracted.
Acknowledging, the minister wrote, “@NewsWireNGR your RETRACTION through your independent investigation, has been noted. However, investigative journalism requires the investigation before publishing, not after.
“Further, major publishers will meet my lawyers in the court on this defamation of character.”
