The Personal Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on New Media, Bashir Ahmad, has denied reports that the United States government has placed Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Isa Pantami, on its terror watch-list.
Reports emerged on Sunday that Pantami had been placed on the list over alleged ties with a former leader of the terrorist group, Boko Haram.
The report claimed that the minister was said to be a close confidant of the late Mohammed Yusuf, the late leader of Boko Haram.
Nigerians React As United States Reportedly Place Minister of ComÂmunications, @DrIsaPantami On Terror Watch-list Over Ties With Boko Haram Leader https://t.co/HoMokTIjgH
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) April 12, 2021
It also claimed that Pantami had ties with Abu Quatada al Falasimi and other Al-Qaeda leaders whom he revered and spoke highly of.
But reacting in a tweet on Monday, Bashir described the report as ‘fake news.’
He maintained that the Minister has never been on any US watchlist.
He wrote, ”You have just endorsed a fake report without verifying. For your information @DrIsaPantamihas never been on any US watchlist.”
You have just endorsed a fake report without verifying. As a media outlet @NewsWireNGR you know exactly how to verify such reports, but no, you are here pushing a false and dangerous narrative to your thousands of followers. FYI @DrIsaPantami has never been on any US watchlist. https://t.co/p4vR5yUGQ9
— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) April 12, 2021
