Nigerian newspaper, Punch has called for the immediate sacking of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami over links to terrorism.
Reacting to the recent turn of events in an editorial titled ‘Why Pantami must resign or be sacked’, Punch Newspaper gave reasons as to why the minister needs to vacate his post.
The media outlet wrote: “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 media outlet also berated the Senate for not properly screening Pantami, as they also questioned the SSS screening process.
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Isa Pantami has been in the public eye since last week for allegedly being sympathetic towards terrorists and holding extremist views.
An online medium, Peoples Gazette had reported how Pantami, a notable Islamic cleric in the 2000s, said he was happy at the killing of unbelievers.
“We are all happy whenever unbelievers are being killed.
“But the Sharia does not allow us to kill them without a reason.
“Our zeal (hamasa) should not take precedence over our obedience to the sacred law,” Pantami said in one of three audio recordings transcribed by an Italian scholar, Professor Andrea Brigaglia, which the online medium used for the story.
Pantami was said to be responding to audience questions about his views on Osama Bin Laden during a lecture about the Taliban.