Isa Pantami
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Mallam Isa Pantami, has reacted to a publication linking him with terrorist groups, Al-Qaeda and Boko Haram.
In a tweet, Pantami acknowledged the retraction of the report published by a media outlet, NewsWireNGR. The Minister noted that investigative journalism requires thorough investigation before publishing and not after.
The tweet reads, “Your RETRACTION through your independent investigation has been noted. However, investigative journalism requires research before publishing, not after. Further, major publishers will meet my lawyers in court on this defamation of character”.
The Minister further explained that he had organised lectures against the doctrines, and all other evil people for over 15 years, including debates that endangered his life against many criminals in Nigeria.
He advised that those who don’t understand Hausa should get an objective Hausa speaker to translate what he said in the circulating videos.
Speaking on the issue of NIN-SIM Verification to fight insecurity, Pantami said there is no going back.
Earlier, the media outlet had retracted the publication, noting that it had launched an independent audit to evaluate the story and found no direct attribution by the United States Government agency.
The outlet also apologised to its readers and Pantami for re-publishing the report (read more here).
“RETRACTION: Publication of Daily Independent Story alleging Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Sheikh Isa Pantami placed on Terror watchlist for alleged ties with Boko Haram Leader”, NewsWireNGR tweet.
Meanwhile, Bashir Ahmad, the Personal Assistant on New Media to President Muhammadu Buhari, accused the media outlet of endorsing a fake report without verifying. The Presidential aide noted that Pantami has never been on any US watchlist.