A group known as Security Watchers has written to President Muhammudu Buhari, Head of African Union, United States of America, European Union and other security stakeholders alleging that the current Minister of Communication Sheik Isah Pantami and Digital Economy has long history of fanaticism and provocative activities.
The group said that Pantami’s antecedence suggests a systematic link and subtle sympathy with terrorist organisation, making him unfit to head a ministry as sensitive as Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy. “Insecurity thrives on compromised communication management”. The group wrote.
Part of the letter sighted by LeadingReporters reads:
“A man who was banished from Bauchi State at one point in time because of his activities which caused security breach cannot be honoured with a national assignment, more especially when the menace of Boko Haram, Banditry and other forms of criminalities is ravaging the nation and impoverishing millions of Nigerians.
“Security is hinged on communication. A compromised communication system will aid terrorism, kidnapping, banditry and other forms of criminalities as we are currently experiencing in Nigeria under Pantami as Minister of communication.
“These criminals make calls, send messages and execute their nefarious plans in Nigeria leveraging on communication. In other nations, most of the criminal activities have been traced through communication – calls and sms. Pantami has either refused to initiate strategies through which these criminals should be nabbed or he does not know a jack about the ministry he prides himself as a sage.
The group further appeals to President Buhari and other stakeholders to reinvestigate the reason why Pantami was banished from Bauchi and reconsider if he is fit for a position of a minister in a sensitive ministry as ministry of communication and digital economy.
“The country now needs people with verifiable profiles and clean past that do not suggest allegiance to terrorist groups. Pantami is highly sectional, laden with religious bigotry. He may be selling out.
“Go through his social media official handle. It speaks volume of a man who knows nothing about social cohesion and tolerance. He only replies to comments made by those whose names suggest they hail from a particular side of Nigeria and from a particular religion. That speaks volume of his precedence.