Ondo state residents have condemned the alleged affiliation of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami with Boko Haram and other terrorist groups outside the country.
Those who reacted in Akure called on the Federal Government and security agencies to investigate the matter immediately and if found wanting, Pantami should be prosecuted.
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FM’s Otobot Jim reports that Dr. Isa Pantami has has been under fire since the clips of some of his lectures over 2 decades ago resurfaced.
Some of them showed he was sympathetic to extremist sects like Boko haram, Al-Qaeda and Taliban.
However, while responding to questions during his daily Ramadan lecture at Anoor Mosque in Abuja last saturday, the minister, an Islamic cleric, said his position on the subject has since changed.
Pantami said he was only a teenager when he made the comment that killing of Boko Haram members who were captured was totally bad.
The clips have given many Nigerians the feeling that he is a strong supporter of terrorist groups.
Also they are particularly worried that the National Identification Number, NIN registration exercise which he superintends over may give room for registration of terrorists and invaders from other countries as Nigerian citizens.
Mr. Soji Fasoranti said the minister should resign, adding that such a person is not worthy of being a government official.
Oluwatosin Samson while expressing disappoinment, said the act has served as a lesson to Nigerians who are not conscious of what they say or do.
A legal practioner, Yemi Adetoyinbo said Pantami’s statement has caused panic among Nigerians, and by the provisions of the 1999 constitution as ammended, the Minister ought to resign.
Meanwhile, the Ondo Sate Director of National Identification Management Commission, Mr. Akinwale Agbotoba when contacted to speak on the progress of NIN registration in state, said NIMC workers have been barred from speaking to the media on it.