Some Nigerians have expressed fears that the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami could use his ministry’s access to the personal data of Nigerians to go after his critics and those calling for his resignation.
With the ongoing registration for the National Identification Number (NIN), Nigerians are required to submit their bio-data which is linked to their Subscriber Identification Modules (Sim) cards.
The comes amid the pressure on the minister to resign over pro-Islamic extremism views over a decade ago.
Many Nigerians had also called on President Muhammadu Bahari to sack the minister but the Presidency on Thursday aligned with Pantami’s defence that his controversial statements were made when he was young.
“This jihad is an obligation for every single believer, especially in Nigeria,’’ Pantami said in one of his brutal preachings in the 2000s. “Oh God, give victory to the Taliban and al-Qaeda (Allahumma’ nṣur Ṭālibān wa-tanẓīm al Qā‘ida).”
Despite saying he has “changed several positions taken in the past based on new evidence and maturity,” some Nigerians on Twitter say terrorists are not known to change their ideology.
Some of them say their lives are not safe as long as their information through the linking of their NINs with SIM cards, which is being supervised by Pantami’s ministry.
For instance, Imanuel @Iam_Imanuel tweeted, “Have you heard his past sermons? If you have, then you should have a second thought. That guy’s got a dark soul and he can do anything for his religion.”
“The thought of it scares me, from the comfort of his office PC, he will pull out your personal data and do what he feels like,” Mr Wick @ValarMuurghulis wrote on Twitter.
Isimmiri Nwene @IsimmiriN also tweeted, “Do not undermine a reprobate mind hiding under religion while being in charge of your sensitive particulars.”
Jacob @Area_Jay said, “Whenever I remember that all the data of Nigerians are at his fingertips, I’m scared like hell.”
“It is the truth, the guy can literally track anybody while sitting comfortably in his office and that is scary!” Johnnygid @MrJohnsongid tweeted.
A digital expert, Olutola Olaniyi, who also shared his view, said, “Of course he can. And talking about data he doesn’t have access to these people on social media platforms. But talking of NIN, yes (he can do it). But he will have to pass through communications organisations and that will mean a lot of things, and it will affect the reputations of these private organisations which they won’t allow.”
