Presidency Reacts to Report of ‘Buhari’s Minister, Pantami On US Watchlist’

Isa Pantami

Reports that Nigeria’s Minister of Com­munications, Isa Pantami has been placed on US terror watch-list has been dismissed by the presidency.

Bashir Ahmad, Personal Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on New Media, on Monday made this known.

Reports had emerged on Sunday that Pantami had been placed on the list over alleged ties with Boko Haram leader.

The report claimed that the minister was said to be a close confidant of the late Mohammed Yusuf, the late leader of Boko Haram.

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, Bashir in a tweet 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.”