Minister of communications and digital economy Isa Pantami has threatened to sue major news outlets who reported he was allegedly placed on terror watchlist by the United States over alleged ties with the late Boko Haram leader Muhammed Yusuf.
Yusuf, founder of Boko Haram, was killed in 2009. His death birthed a macabre era of unprecedented uprising; carnage, bombings, kidnappings among other crimes against humanity.
An online news platform NewsWire, among others, earlier reported Mr Pantami was placed on US terror watchlist, but retracted it with an apology.
Reacting to the reports, Pantami tweeted: “@NewsWireNGR your 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.
“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.
“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 added that no amount of intimidation would stop him from implementing the “good policies of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR on security.”
Pantami’s supporters have, however, called on him to take action against news outlets who published the false report.
