Pantami to sue publishers over claim on ties with Boko Haram
Ogaga Ariemu
Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, has debunked claim alleging that the United States placed him on a ‘terror watch list’ for alleged ties with the late Boko Haram founder, Mohammed Yusuf, insisted on defamation of character lawsuit against publishers.
Pantami, said in his tweet on Monday that he has been preaching against the terrorist sect for over 15 years.
Earlier Pantami had trended on social media over claim making rounds on social media linking the Minister to Boko Haram’s Leader.
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 regime of the 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.
However, NewsWireNGR had published a retraction of the claim which alleged that the Minister had ties with Boko Haram Leader, its said, “Publication of Daily Independent Story alleging Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Sheikh Isa Pantami placed on Terror watch-list for alleged ties with Boko Haram Leader”
“We launched an independent audit to evaluate the story and found that there was no direct attribution by the said United States Government agency and we do apologise to our readers for re-publishing the report and also to the person of Sheikh Isa Pantami…”
Responding to the retraction publication, the Minister said, “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”.
He said, “by the Almighty, no amount of intimation will stop @IsaPantami from implementing the good policies of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR on security. If you are yet to verify your SIM using NIN, do it very soon, b4 our next action. Criminals are feeling the heat.”
