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General News of Friday, 16 April 2021

Source: www.mynigeria.com

These are the facts linking Minister Patami to Taliban, Al-Queda

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Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami was linked to several global terrorist organizations after a report by the news site, Independent Newspaper ran a story stating that the U.S had placed the Minister on its Intelligence Service watchlist.

This comes after a trendy video of him in one of his vicious preaching hit the internet. In the video that was reported by SaharaReporters to be in the 2000s, Patami said: “This jihad is an obligation for every single believer, especially in Nigeria,"

He continued: “Oh God, give victory to the Taliban and al-Qaeda (Allahumma’ nṣur Ṭālibān wa-tanẓīm al Qā‘ida).”

Despite denying all links and allegiance to insurgency group Boko Haram, Patami openly expressed his admiration and support for the global extremist groups — the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.

In defending himself, the Minister claimed on his official Twitter handle that his lectures “against the doctrines and all other evil people (terrorists) have been available for over 15 years, including debates that endangered my life against many criminals in Nigeria.”

However, a 2019 academic document ‘Debating Boko Haram’ as seen by The People Gazette showed Patami openly supporting the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.

Pantami invited Muslims, especially “Ahlus Sunna” (Salafis), to be skeptical of politicians and religious leaders calling for peace and understanding but retaliate with Jihad, SaharaReporters wrote.

“This jihad is an obligation for every single believer, especially in Nigeria (hādhā jihād farḍ ‘ayn ‘ala kull Muslim wa-khuṣūṣan fī Nījīriyā),” he added. Pantami’s comments were translated by Professor Andrea Brigaglia, an African expert at Naples University in Italy.

According to SaharaReporters, the document detailed how Pantami offered himself as a volunteer to mobilize the Hisba police of the North, requesting to be appointed as the “commander” (kwamanda) of a militia (ready to travel to Yelwa Shendam) to fight in defense of the Muslims.

The speech, which is about 20 minutes long, concluded with the prayer, “Oh God, give victory to the Taliban and to al-Qaeda (Allahumma’ nṣur Ṭālibān wa-tanẓīm alQā‘ida).”

“During his speech, Pantami is in tears, and his voice is often broken by sighs. The genuineness of his emotional response to what was, without doubt, a dramatic episode in the history of violent conflict in Plateau state is obvious,” said the report.

In a second speech, delivered in 2006, Pantami offered his public condolences for the death of the leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, al-Zarqawi.

“May God have mercy on Aḥmad alFāḍil al-Khalayleh, raḥmatullāh’ alayhi. May God forgive his mistakes. He is a human being. He has certainly some mistakes in front of God, so may God forgive his mistakes. Who am I talking about? He is Abū Muṣ‘ab al-Zarqāwī.

The latest development has generated reactions from Nigerians at home and diaspora.

The #PatamiResign is on the Twitter trends with many calling for his sack or resignation. Patami is a high-ranking minister in President Buhari's cabinet. Many describe him as one of the postal boys to the President.

A letter signed by Comrade Deji Adeyanju, the convener for a human rights, social justice, and anti-corruption group based in the United States said Patami has been quoted in several news outlets as "he was happy whenever unbelievers are killed by terrorist groups."

Excerpts of the statement said the Minister had "openly supported and endorsed global terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Patami is said to have praised Osama Bin Laden describing him as a hero and a better Muslim than himself. He has not renounced the views in the face of new revelations by the media. His views are extremist views and a threat to a multi-religious nation like Nigeria."

Below is a video of Isa Patami reacting to the killings of some Boko Haram terrorists in the Goodluck Jonathan adminstration



See some reactions from Nigerians