Pantami never on US watchlist – Presidency reacts to allege tie of Minister with boko haram

Bashir Ahmad, Personal Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on New Media, on Monday, denied reports that United States government has placed Nigeria’s Minister of Com­munications, Isa Pantami on terror watch-list.

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.”