Pantami: Forces planning to release doctored videos against me

Isa Pantami, the embattled Minister of Communications and Digital Economy has raised concerns about plans to release doctored videos against him.

He said the videos were made to discredit him.

According to The Country, the president has expressed support for the embattled Minister, despite calls for him to resign or be shot.

Pantami has been in the spotlight for the past two weeks after videos surfaced online showing him supporting militant groups like Al-Qaeda and the Taliban more than a decade ago.

Later, the Minister admitted to making the controversial remarks but claimed that his views on certain groups had changed.

Pantami said that the videos that were supposed to be released against him were made to show him in a compromising position.

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Pantami said in a statement released via his spokesperson, Uwa Suleiman, that he would not stand by and see his hard-won prestige as an Islamic scholar be shattered.

He claims he is the target of a well-coordinated and well-funded anti-government campaign.

“We have received reliable intelligence that the same powers that have been championing a well-coordinated and well-funded campaign against the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, are now embarking on the next stage of their diabolic project,” the statement said.

“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.”

He vowed to protect his integrity despite the antics of alleged paid agents.

The statement added: “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.”