Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, has refuted reports in social media suggesting that he has links with the Islamist group, Boko Haram and that he has placed the United States “terror watch list”.
Pantami, in tweets, denied having any links with Mohammed Yusuf, founder of Boko Haram, declaring rather that he has been preaching against the group for over 15 years.
Yusuf died in controversial circumstances in 2009 following his arrest by security agents. His death gave rise to an insurgency starting from Nigeria’s North East region, in the form of kidnappings, killings, and destruction of government’s property, which has spread to other parts of the country.
“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,” Pantami said in the tweet.
The minister used the opportunity to reiterate the government’s determination to pursue to a logical conclusion the ongoing linkage of citizens’ National Identity Numbers to their SIMs.
“On the issue of NIN-SIM verification to fight insecurity, there is no going back. Our priority as a 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,” he added.
He declared that no amount of intimidation will stop him from implementing the good policies of President Muhammadu Buhari 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,” he said.
