Nigeria’s minister of communications and digital economy, Isa Pantami, has said that there are plans by “forces of evil” to release doctored videos to further damage his reputation.
Mr Pantami made this known on Tuesday in a statement signed by Uwa Suleiman, his spokesperson.
The minister has been in the eye of the storm in recent weeks over his past extremist views supporting Al-Qaeda and the Taliban.
Mr Pantami has recanted those views about the terror groups, saying his position at the time was based on his understanding of religion and global politics as a young person.
The Nigerian government has thrown its weight behind Mr Pantami, saying the minister is being targeted for “cancellation” by some people.
But many Nigerians and groups have asked President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the minister.
In a statement on Tuesday, Mr Suleiman said “forces of evil are shopping for willing partners” to release doctored videos to further damage the image of the minister.
“We are in receipt of credible intelligence that the same forces who have been championing a well-coordinated and richly funded campaign against the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, are now unto the next stage of their diabolic project.
This time around, the forces of evil are shopping for willing partners as well as their usual avenues, to release doctored videos purporting to show the Honourable Minister in an alleged compromising condition, as a way of creating injury on his image.
We are least surprised by this recent move which is a clear intensification of their desperation, having failed in their assault on the personality of the Honourable Minister, despite their previous efforts.
After concocting lies and half-truths linking the Honourable Minister with terrorism, despite his well-documented stance against Boko Haram and similar groups, these adversaries went to the extent of doctoring a document with capacity to endanger national security. It was a relief for peace-loving Nigerians that the gimmick also failed to strike that sensitive chord.
This notice therefore is to alert the public to the latest ungodly plan and to warn the perpetrators about the consequences of such action. The Honourable Minister will not sit idly to see his hard-earned reputation as a respected community leader, Islamic Scholar and public servant being muddled in the mud by paid agents with no adherence to truth and fear of God.
Uwa Suleiman
Spokesperson to the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy
