Tobi Adebayo
Nigerians have reacted to news that the United States has allegedly placed the Minister for Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, on a watch list for having links with Al-Qaeda.
According to the Daily Independent newspaper, Pantami, before his appointment as Minister, was a known Islamic preacher and held what was termed ‘dangerous views’ against the American government with allegiance to Al-Qaeda.
The report read in part “Ibrahim, also the Deputy Secretary-General of the Supreme Sharia Council in Nigeria and a former student of Salafist ideologies was trained in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East with other top Islamic jihadists.
Before his appointment as a minister, Ibrahim was a known Islamic preacher and held what was termed ‘dangerous views’ against the American government with allegiance to Al-Qaeda.
“According to a report, the minister was said to be a very close confidant of the late Mohammed Yusuf, the killed leader of Boko Haram with whom he allegedly shared jihadist doctrines.
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“In one of his narratives, Ibrahim had eulogised Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi as a great leader, who joined Al-Qaeda group after emigrating to Afghanistan at the end of the September 11, 2001 terror attack on the World Trade Centre in America.”
Reacting to the news, A Twitter user, @firstladyship tweeted: “Sheikh Isa Pantami is on America’s Watch List of persons with ties with the Boko Haram. Terrorists & their apologists are in charge of Nigeria. Pantami is the man Nigerians entrusted with their BVN & NIN. So your inability to buy & register new SIM cards is economic sabotage.”
@onyedikaAnambra tweeted: “This same Isa Pantami came up with forceful NIN registration that has forced thousands out of job. SIM vendors, WiFi marketers such as smile, Spectranet and ntel have been out of a job for months. How can I deregister my NIN, Can’t entrust our info with an Al Quaeda affiliate “
See more tweets below:
"Report: US Govt places Nigeria's Minister of Communications, Sheikh Isa Pantami on Terror watch-list for alleged ties with Boko Haram Terrorists."
Visualize that a man in charge of all our personal data, bank details, biometrics, NIN, acc balances, etc is a bonafide jihadist? pic.twitter.com/k7K0UxrSv5
— FestusGreen #PeterObi (@FestusGreen) April 12, 2021
https://twitter.com/iamseunalaofin/status/1381525736247455744?s=20
https://twitter.com/YemieFASH/status/1381522914994970628?s=20
Anyone who is a terrorist apologist is a terrorist. Isa Pantami must resign.
— Hon. Otaigbe Imadegbelo (@Imudia_se2) April 12, 2021
Is there any official communication from the US Government placing @DrIsaPantami on the terror watch list?
I'm not a fan of Dr. Isa Pantami, but we need to establish the facts – and an accusation by the US Government isn't sufficient, let him defend himself first.
— Onye Nkuzi (@cchukudebelu) April 12, 2021
I have searched the US Website and I can't find Isa Pantami's name on the wanted list. Dem Dems need to face all their current problems of SM pay for hire and stop trying to deflect. Eku rondo kan kan o le tan anybody jehttps://t.co/6YDSCvF3uk
— Madam President: Arinola Ifeoma Nnagi Awokoya @ 61 (@iyaboawokoya) April 12, 2021
It's fake news that Isa Pantami, Our minister of communication supposedly has ties with Al-Qaeda & Boko Haram.
Just RT, pic.twitter.com/wsBElZaRFp
— Ibrahim Bello (@Ibrahim_Bello_) April 12, 2021
