That’s not the same thing as explicitly renouncing his prior support for al-Qaeda and the Taliban, but many are taking it as such, and so this will likely be the end of the matter. Ironically, if Pantami had ever expressed support for groups that oppose jihad violence and Sharia oppression of women, he would have been forced to resign long ago, or would never have been appointed in the first place. But support for al-Qaeda and the Taliban? Hey, he has changed his stance on some issues!
“Alleged link with terrorism: I have changed my stance on some issues, says Pantami,” The News Nigeria, April 17, 2021:
eThe [sic] Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, says he has changed his stance on some issues based on additional facts even after expressing Fatwa, a nonbinding religious opinion on it.
Pantami, spoke at An-Nur Mosque, during a Ramadan Lecture while responding to a question on ongoing controversies over some lectures he has delivered in the past which some critics have said indicated that he was in support for terrorism.
A national newspaper had also published a report that the United States (US) government had placed the minister on a watchlist for having reported links with Boko Haram leaders….
The newspaper later retracted its story, apologised to Pantami and deleted the report from its website….
“On the claim that I am a Boko Haram sympathizer, I want to say that people who have been following my religious evangelism, as a scholar, dating back from 2005 and 2006, know me better. They know what I often preached about,” he said.
The Communications and Digital Economy Minister said within the last two decades, he was invited and travelled to Niger Republic, Katsina, Borno, and Gombe, among other northern states, where he ‘vehemently’ condemned Boko Haram’s ideology.
“Besides these evangelism missions I embarked on to speak against religious fundamentalism, I also published pamphlets on the nefarious activities of the terrorists’ sect,” he added.
Pantami said that though some of the media attacks on him were motivated by political and economic reasons, he would not be perturbed.
He further noted that he has never been fixated on issues, but rather changes his stance immediately he discovers that his viewpoints and verdicts on such issues are wrong.
He pointed out that though he started preaching as early as when he was 13 years old, his viewpoints have consistently changed as a result of acquiring more knowledge, exposure, travelling and maturity, as he advanced in age.
“I have changed my stance on some issues based on additional facts even after expressing Fatwa, a nonbinding religious opinion in response to a question posed to me,”
Pantami disclosed that as a scholar he was able to preach to many fanatical youths who shunned terrorism and went to acquire quality education, becoming engineers and other professionals….
“I once saved two Corp members who were about to lynched in Bauchi State during a fight between Christian and Muslims. I personally took them to the mosque to save their lives. So, anybody who will protect Christians will you still call him a fanatic? Also, I want to say that I was never suspended or expelled from any school as a student or lecturer because of my views, especially on religious matters,” he said.
mortimer says
Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami is trying to save his job. This is TAQIYYA (sacralized lying) and KITMAN (subterfuge).
– “Taqiyya permeates almost all the activities and dealings of Muslims with non-Muslim societies…” – former sheikh Sam Solomon
Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami is still a jihad-supporter and GENOCIDE-supporter.
gravenimage says
Nigeria: Minister under fire for support of al-Qaeda says ‘I have changed my stance on some issues’
……………
Uh–right. Note that Pantami never actually condemns Boko Haram or any other Jihad terror group–and he is a high-ranking government minister. No wonder Boko Haram operates with impunity in Nigeria.
Here’s more on him:
http://saharareporters.com/2021/04/15/unmasking-jihadi-masquerade-many-faces-isa-ali-ibrahim-pantami
He said that peace between Muslims and non-Muslims can only be temporary because “Jihad is the highest form of islam.”