Pantami: Why They Are Calling Me A Terrorist

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami has blamed those against the implementation of the National Identification Number (NIN) policy as the brains behind ongoing campaign to remove him from office on the claim of being a closeted Islamic terrorist.

Opening up in an interview, the minister also debunked the claim that the NIN was only for Nigerians. He said that foreigners and those from neighbouring countries present in the country are also expected to register for the NIN.

 GreenWhiteGreen GWG reports that there have been recent reports of Pantami having had strong views reflective of support for Islamic terrorist groups including supposedly backing the ideologies of the late Osama bin Laden.

Reacting in an interview with Premium Times, the minister said:

“I have no doubt about this. It has to do with the National Identification Number. Do you know one thing? This policy was started in 2011, it was not successful. Why? It was fought,” he said.

Pantami, however, refused to name those who are using the NIN to fight him as a terrorist.

He said: “You have to try and investigate as a journalist. In 2015, it came up, it was not successful. In 2018 there was a time that there were meetings between government and mobile network operators. And it was actually announced that by the agreement with government, the deadline was January 2018.

“It is there online, I will share it with you if you like. By January 2018, it was not implemented, because there are forces against it. There are forces!

“Now they have started coming with the news that people are coming from neighbouring countries to register. What they fail to understand is that the National Identification Number is not only for Nigerians; anybody in Nigeria can obtain it. Section 16 and 17 of the Act mention the registrable people in the country – citizens, legal residents, legal permanent residents, and legal residents for a minimum of two years.

“So, it is not only for citizens. And it is also important to know that this is not just an indication that they are citizens of Nigeria. It is rather an indication that you presented your biometric data, so government has control over your data

“. And that data of NIMC (National Identity Management Commission), nobody has an access to it in any way he likes. Getting access to it illegally is 10 years in prison. It is there in the law. But people will like to discredit it, because they don’t like it,” Pantami submitted.

“As long as it is implemented by government, it will go a long way in reducing crime and based on the statistics we have been seeing now, it’s really encouraging.

Continuing, Pantami said:

“As government, our priority is the protection of lives and property of our citizens. Security is our priority as a government – whether in agric, digital economy, education or in health, in whatever. President Muhammadu Buahari is so passionate about security, and he directed me to do that because he knows I try to persevere despite challenges and do what is right in the interest of our citizens and humanity.”

Send Us A Press Statement Advertise With Us Contact Us

 And For More Nigerian News Visit GWG.NG