Abike pretty

A brewing storm over sensitive allegations unveiling Isa Pantami, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, as a fervent supporter of extremist Islamist sects, who preached their violent cause should not be overlooked. The minister is under fire for vociferously espousing the violent Jihadist narrative of al-Qaeda anad the Taliban before he was appointed minister by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.). These allegations are far too weighty and there is copious evidence that Pantami once held on to extremist ideology and expressed it openly. Therefore, the honourable step is for him to resign. Otherwise, Buhari should sack him for unfettered investigations to be undertaken. The case against Pantami, which has gone viral on social media, is dangerously earth-shaking. Initially, the minister, who until his appointment in 2019 was the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, denied the obvious. But when he was confronted with his preaching in the 2000s on social media, he backtracked and claimed “immaturity.” Essentially, Pantami’s past is catching up with him. Although he claims that he has “repented” of his Salafist ideology, his violent preaching of those days is damagingly chilling. Among other things, he said, “Oh God, give victory to the Taliban and to al-Qaeda,” and, “This jihad is an obligation for every single believer, especially in Nigeria.” In another, he reportedly endorsed the killing of “unbelievers.” And what is the difference between his statements and that of Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, the defunct Islamic State’s chief spokesman, who had called on Muslims in Western countries such as France and Canada to find an infidel and “smash his head with a rock,” poison him, run him over with a car, or “destroy his crops?” This is a cataclysmic ideology, which has upturned the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan; instigated the 9/11 terror attacks and charging at the very soul of Nigeria. So many more extremist views have been attributed to Pantami. In his defence, Pantami argues that he has repented; that he erred as an innocent youth. This is a hollow excuse. He should not have aspired to the position of a minister, then. When, where and how did he renounce violent jihad? What of the fresh allegations on the social media that he approved an Islamic TV station to be broadcasting official programmes of the Ministry of Communications? Was this after his repentance? When did Pantami sever his ties to his jihadist past? According to Wikipedia, the minister, whom Buhari entrusts with the biometric data of Nigerians, trained under extremist Islamist scholars in Saudi Arabia, including Muhammad Ibn Uthaymin, whose extremist views include opposition to women driving in that country. Whether Pantami admits it or not, his preaching then must have enticed some innocents into joining the Salafist crusade to cause mayhem and establish its global caliphate through bloodshed. The Boko Haram jihadists whom he now claims to have opposed, have tormented Nigeria, especially the North-East of the country, since 2009 with their vicious ideology. They have conquered territories, murdered people in thousands, kidnapped schoolgirls in Chibok and Dapchi, blown up the UN HQs in Abuja, attacked military formations and currently threaten the country’s corporate existence. Beyond that, Pantami’s elevation to high public office exposes the ridiculous state Nigeria finds itself. All around, mediocrity, incompetence and questionable compromises are evident in the current miasma. First, Buhari was wrong to have appointed Pantami as a minister. It means the President’s yardsticks for such appointments are too pedestrian, perhaps based on extraneous ties apart from competence. Second, the Senate, which screens ministerial nominees, is an abject, hollow chamber. In this case, the Ahmed Lawan-led Senate failed woefully. There was no rigour. It is shameful that nominees of questionable characters, some of whom harbour extremist views, did not have an NYSC certificate or forged documents are approved without question. The nauseating tradition of “take a bow” defeats the purpose of the screening, which is meant to sift out the chaff from the wheat. But the Senate has turned screening to a charade, sheer commercial and party affair, abnegating rigour. This brings us to the State Security Service. What does it do when the executive forwards the names of nominees to it? As a party to the screening of nominees, there is no confidence about its reports to the parliament. The press, the watchdog, should be alert and henceforth, objectively unearth aspiring public office holders for the public to assess. Pantami’s case happened because of deficient leadership that refuses to abide by global best practices in governance. The Nigerian Senate should adopt a rigorous process in screening nominees. It is not compulsory that all the nominations from the executive should sail through; the job of the parliament is to deny incompetent and dangerous people the chance to gain top public office where they can do irreparable damage. In 2012, Goodluck Jonathan, the President, claimed that sympathisers of Boko Haram had infiltrated his government. “Some of them are in the executive arm of government, some of them are in the parliamentary/legislative arm of government, while some of them are even in the judiciary…Some are also in the armed forces, the police and other security agencies,” he had said. The Senate should wake up and replace indolence with diligence. Media scrutiny of prospective public officials should be stepped up. The UK Institute of Government says individual ministerial accountability ultimately means an expectation that they should resign if something has gone seriously wrong. And truly, many things have gone awfully wrong with Pantami’s jihadist pantomime. His credibility as a minister has run out. He should bow out or be kicked out. By SaharaReporters,New York Source:https://saharareporters.com/2021/04/20/why-pantami-must-resign-or-be-sacked

At least 12 dead bodies were recovered on Sunday at the scene of a petroleum tanker explosion at Oshigbudu junction in the Agatu Local Government Area of Benue state. The State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Yakubu Mohammed, disclosed this in a statement. Mohammed said the tanker loaded with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) was heading to Abuja from the Otukpo area of the state when the vehicle’s brakes allegedly failed, skidded off the road and exploded in flames. “The number of deaths as a result of the explosion is 12 but there could be deaths that could be beyond our purview to know but the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA or National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, may fish them out. “You know that the houses that got burnt in the incident will not be classified as crash so when these agencies visit the houses, they may discover more corpses from the debris. “But those involved in the crash were 12. Of the number, eight were males, three were females, and a child. “In view of this indictment, I want to call on all petroleum tanker owners to ensure the immediate installation of safety valves on their tankers to ensure the safety of lives, properties, and the products their vehicles convey. “It is disheartening to see some petroleum tankers still plying the roads without safety valves fixed on them despite the February 2021 deadline earlier issued. “Any driver caught contravening the standard will risk going to jail. Tanker drivers should be safety conscious always and should abide by all safety rules and regulations. “I assured members of the public that FRSC will not rest on its oars at ensuring discipline on the road. And the command would always be ready to respond promptly to any rescue operations just as we are ready to always partner with all stakeholders to ensure a safer road culture in Benue state,” he said. By SaharaReporters,New York Source:https://saharareporters.com/2021/04/19/tanker-fire-kills-12-persons-benue

The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has said he is prepared to face political persecution when he leaves office in 2023. Wike, who spoke to newsmen in Abuja on Sunday, said it was certain that political forces would come after him because of his strong views on issues. He also stated that he had moved out of the Government House two years before his tenure would end as part of his preparation. The governor described the current travails of former Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha and his family as political persecution. According to him, Okorocha has been having a running battle with his successor, Hope Uzodinma, which caused the seizure of property purportedly belonging to his family members and his recent investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. He said, “Political prosecution will come, especially after you have left office. I know they will come after me but I’m prepared, I am ready for them. “If Rochas was Governor you would have seen a lot of governors here. I came here, I didn’t see any APC (All Progressives Congress) members. “Right now, I don’t even live in the Government House. I have packed out, as part of my preparations, even though I still have two more years. “Also, when you have a system that is not doing well, the truth must be told, but people don’t like the truth and that is why they don’t like me. “As long as I’m concerned, I do my things the way I want and nobody can stop me or tell me what to do or who can be my friend. “Owelle (Rochas) is facing a lot of crisis, it is not easy to pass through these crises, but it will come, but it will be over. “I want to encourage him and his son-in-law to be strong. If it doesn’t happen like this, you won’t know that God loves you. You will go through these battles for you to know that there is God.” Meanwhile, Wike had earlier said stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state would meet at the appropriate time and decide his successor. The governor said no single person has the monopoly to decide where the governorship position of the party will be zoned to. By SaharaReporters,New York Source:https://saharareporters.com/2021/04/19/nigerian-government-will-come-me-when-i-leave-office-wike-says

The Concerned Nigerians group has written to the State Security Service (SSS), calling for the arrest and prosecution of Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, while also asking it to advise President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the minister over his past pro-terrorism comments. Deji Adeyanju, Convener of the group, in a letter addressed to the Director General of SSS in Abuja on Monday, sighted by SaharaReporters, said Pantami should be invited for questioning with a view to prosecuting him. Apart from the SSS, also known as the Department of State Services, the group also copied the US Ambassador to Nigeria and the High Commissioner, UK High Commission in Nigeria. Pantami has been under fire since clips of some of his lectures resurfaced over 10 years later, in which he made some comments sympathetic towards extremist sects like Al-Qaeda and Taliban. Following that, many Nigerians have demanded the resignation of Pantami or his sacking. For instance, Pantami was quoted to have said while preaching in the 2000s, “This jihad is an obligation for every single believer, especially in Nigeria.’’ “Oh God, give victory to the Taliban and Al-Qaeda,” he was also quoted to have prayed. However, the letter by Concerned Nigerians titled ‘Terrorist Watchlist – Isa Pantami’, said, “We write to bring to your notice numerous publications in the media about Sheik Isa Pantami, the Minister of Communications wherein he was quoted in the past supporting major terrorist groups -Al-Qaeda and the Talibans and describing Osama Bin Laden as a hero and better Muslim than himself. And that after public outcry and condemnation, Sheik Pantami has come out to confirm that he expressed such views and regret ever doing so. “We, therefore, call upon you in the face of his admission, to invite him for questioning with the view of prosecuting him for supporting terrorism. It will interest you to know that many Nigerians are already wondering how he passed security clearance with your agency to become a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “We wish to bring to your notice that terrorists and their sympathisers don’t repent, they are only looking for an opportunity to get close to power so they can strike harder. Sheik Pantami is too close to power and we urge you to advise the president from a security point of view to sack him in the interest of Nigeria.” By SaharaReporters,New York Source:https://saharareporters.com/2021/04/19/pro-terrorism-comments-concerned-nigerians-group-writes-dss-demands-arrest-prosecution

The Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari, has said contrary to the views in some quarters, President Muhammadu Buhari has not failed Nigerians. Masari, who spoke in a Television Continental interview on Sunday said Nigerians should instead commend Buhari for tolerating “rubbish from some people.” He said, “The rating of the President has not changed. Anybody saying that the rating of the Buhari administration has gone down should wait till when we would have an election. “Protests are necessary in a democracy. Even in the best democracy in the world, people protest. The fact that we have democracy does not mean that people should not complain or protest. “I don’t think Buhari has failed us, I think he has tolerated us. We once had a civilian president who couldn’t take the rubbish that Buhari is taking from some people.” The governor described the All Progressives Congress as “the strongest, most reliable, and dependable party in Nigeria today,” saying the dialogue between his government and bandits collapsed because the criminals were not organised under a known leadership. He said, “I started the idea of dialogue with bandits way back in 2016 in collaboration with the heads of security agencies and we visited areas where the bandits were in charge. “Some of them laid down their arms but the agitation continues and it escalated last year with the kidnap of the Kankara boys. “The previous dialogue failed because the bandits are not under an organised leadership or umbrella. They are in various groups and categories.” By SaharaReporters,New York Source:https://saharareporters.com/2021/04/19/buhari-hasn%E2%80%99t-failed-nigerians-he%E2%80%99s-even-tolerating-rubbish-them%E2%80%94-masari

Consultative Forum (ACF) has asked the Nigerian Government, Army and security agencies to stop the fresh bout of killings in parts of Benue State. The ACF on Sunday added that the security agencies, community leaders and the state government must fish out the criminals involved in the killings, including of the 12 soldiers last week, and punish them. The ACF in a release signed by its National Chairman, Audu Ogbe, told the Nigerian Army that punishing “poor, innocent people who have nothing to do with the killing of soldiers in Konshisha is unfair and not the best way to go.” The forum said, “We were attending the National Working Committee and National Executive Council meetings of the ACF in Kaduna when news started trickling in of another round of bloodshed in Benue. “We hesitated to issue a statement, hoping to get full details before going into it. For now we have been informed by army headquarters that soldiers on stabilising operations in the state code-named operation Whirl Stroke were ambushed. Ten of the soldiers and one officer who had their weapons seized, were brutally murdered and their bodies set ablaze by the bandits who mounted the ambush. “We at the ACF do not subscribe to such lawlessness and barbarism. We condemn the actions of the bandits without reservations. There was no need killing members of the Nigerian army who were merely on a mission to keep the peace. “As dastardly as the actions of the bandits is, we find the reaction of the army out of proportion. A petition, signed by Gabriel Suswam who represents the area in the Senate to the army headquarters, says the army is on a revenge mission in which villagers whose home are far away from the troubled area in Konshisha Local Government Area are being bombed with helicopter gunboats. “We believe that as wrong and criminal as the actions of the bandits are, the army should not use a sledgehammer to kill a fly. We call on the security agents and community leaders and the state government to fish out the criminals and punish them. Punishing poor, innocent people who have nothing to do with the killing of soldiers in Konshisha is unfair and not the best way to go. “The ACF calls for restraint on both sides in this crisis so that more innocent blood will not be shed.” By SaharaReporters,New York Source:https://saharareporters.com/2021/04/18/stop-punishing-innocent-people-benue-killing-soldiers-bandits-acf-tells-nigerian-army

Isa Aliyu Pantami, President Muhammadu Buhari's communications minister, once declared that he was always a happy man hearing of the massacre of those he considered infidels. "We are all happy whenever unbelievers are being killed," Pantami said. "But the Sharia does not allow us to kill them without reason." "Our zeal (hamasa) should not take precedence over our obedience to the sacred law," he added. Pantami's comments were contained in three audio recordings of his teachings in the 2000s when he took extreme positions in support of the brutal exploits of Al Qaeda and Taliban elements who were on a campaign to obliterate the West and conquer other parts of the world. He made the remarks while responding to audience questions about his views on Osama Bin Laden during a lecture about the Taliban. Pantami said of Mr Bin Laden, the late Al Qaeda leader responsible for bringing down the World Trade Centre in an attack that claimed over 3,000 lives in 2001: "I still consider him as a better Muslim than myself." Pantami's comments were translated by Professor Andrea Brigaglia, an African expert at Naples University in Italy. Nigerian scholar, Musa Ibrahim of the University of Florida in the United States, contributed to the paper that explored the onset of Boko Haram in Nigeria. Top journal publisher academia.edu published the research in March 2019, several months before Buhari tapped Pantami as a minister. Pantami's violent preachings, which he rendered in Hausa and Arabic throughout the late 1990s and early to mid-2000s, had gone largely unreported in the Nigerian mainstream media. While debunking the report, however, Pantami took to Twitter to claim he has always preached against Boko Haram. He also retweeted several handles that described him as a peaceful Islamic scholar, an attempt at image laundering that Italian and African scholars have now punctured. "It is unbelievable that President Buhari will appoint a man like Isa Pantami to be a minister in a secular country like Nigeria," political analyst Mohammed Tukura told The Gazette. "A president that believes in national cohesion will not appoint a fundamentalist who shares the same views as leaders of Boko Haram and Taliban." By SaharaReporters,New York Source,https://saharareporters.com/2021/04/18/flashback-we-are-all-happy-when-unbelievers-are-killed%E2%80%94minister-pantami

Association of Local Governments of Nigeria has sent a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari revealing how some firms want to enforce the deductions of more than N115 billion from the allocations meant for the 774 local government areas from the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning. The petition obtained by SaharaReporters on Saturday is titled, “Petition Against Fraudulent Attempts by Riok Nigeria Limited To Obtain $143 million or N54.5 billion and by Dr Ted Edwards Isegohi To Obtain $159 million or N60.5 billion from the allocations of all 774 LGAs in Nigeria.” ALGON alleged that some firms including Ted Edwards Isegohi, against a court order, are making a “fraudulent claim of $159 million” from the 774 LGA allocations. The firm claimed it worked for Local Government Councils, in getting Refunds of First Line Charge/Paris Club. In the petition dated March 29, ALGON lamented that some of the worst hit LGAs in the deductions are Ika North Local Government Area, Delta State; Ngor Okpala Local Government Area, Imo State and Lafia Local Government Area Nasarawa State. The petition explained that the matter dated back to 2014 when a member of ALGON Board entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with another firm, Riok Nigeria Limited, (the company) for the provision of boreholes, among others in all the 774 local government areas and area councils of Nigeria. SaharaReporters gathered that while the company seeks to recover the sum of $143.4 million or N54.5 billion which they alleged to be due under the memorandum, ALGON is claiming that there is no evidence that the company built or even commenced any construction of boreholes in any of the 774 LGAs. Also, ALGON in the petition explained that Ted Edwards also claimed to have provided legal services in a court suit FHC/ABJ/CS/130/13 and that by virtue of an instruction letter from ALGON, he is entitled to 10 per cent of the judgment payments; which is $318 million. ALGON, however, disputed that in a ruling delivered on the 27th of June 2016, the Federal High Court castigated Ted Edwards for attempting to smuggle his claim for $318 million into the Garnishee proceedings in the Linas judgment because it said Ted Edwards was never part of those proceedings. The petition to Buhari partly reads, “Going by the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission Investigation report of August 1, 2018, even if Ted Edwards was lawfully engaged, which from the above, is utterly unlikely, the fact remains that there is no evidence of any work he did to merit the sum he now claims. “We also gather that Riok Nigeria Limited (RIOK) is on the verge of obtaining from the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, a massive payment of $143.4 million USD or N54.5billion, for a Borehole drilling contract that Riok has not performed at all. We gather that the payment is to be made via deductions from Local Government Allocations over a period of time. “Respectfully, Your Excellency, we have tried to uncover Riok Nigeria Limited desperate attempt to fraudulently obtain funds from the Local Governments through the Federal Ministry of Finance Budget and National Planning. The funds Riok Nigeria Limited seeks belong to the Local Government Councils of the Federation. More importantly, Riok Nigeria Limited did not perform its part of the agreement in the MOU. “Therefore, we must make it abundantly clear that any payment to Ted Edwards Isegohi or RIOK by the Federal Ministry of Finance Budget and National Planning, from Local Governments’ Allocations without the consent or authority of any Local Government Councils will be an illegality and a clear violation of the principle of tier autonomy over government funds enshrined in the Constitution and recognised by the Supreme Court; it could also open a flood gate of claims by Local Governments across the country against the Federal Ministry of Finance and any other Ministry or Agency that facilitates such illegal and fraudulent payment. “Your Excellency, on behalf of all the Local Government Councils of the Federation, we trust that your noble office will discountenance the unjust claim by Ted Edwards Isegohi and Riok Nigeria Limited and direct the Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning and the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation to act accordingly.” By SaharaReporters,New York Source:https://saharareporters.com/2021/04/18/exclusive-local-government-workers-petition-buhari-expose-secret-plot-deduct-over

Boko Haram insurgents have launched a major attack on the base of the special forces of the 27 Task Force Brigade, located in Ngomari in Buni Yadi and Kumuya in the Buni Gari area of Yobe State, killing three soldiers while about 171 others reportedly fled the base or are missing in action. Military sources told SaharaReporters that the insurgents destroyed heavy military equipment and shared photographs of gun trucks razed by the insurgents. “The terrorists attacked us on Friday morning. They attacked the military base and burnt it down. Three soldiers were killed, one injured, while about 171 are missing. The base is deserted but we have called in for reinforcements,” a military source said. “One Camel MRAP was burnt, one 105MMPH Artillery gun burnt, one Conqueror and one T72 tank were also burnt. The terrorists also set the camp ablaze,” another source revealed. SaharaReporters learnt that the terrorists were aided by local informants and sympathisers before attacking the military base. During the attack, the terrorists used heavy weapons in destroying military equipment and patrolled the community to prevent the reinforcement of soldiers. It was learnt that the insurgents withdrew when reinforcements from the Nigerian troops came to the base. The Nigerian troops have presently also restricted movement along Damaturu-Damboa-Biu Road following the attacks by the insurgents. By SaharaReporters,New York Source:https://saharareporters.com/2021/04/17/boko-haram-insurgents-burn-army-base-yobe-kill-three-soldiers-171-others-missing