As the controversy over affiliation with terrorist groups continues to mount, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, has renounced his past comments. Pantami stated that for over a decade, he took the crusade on the dangers of terrorism across major parts of the north, adding that he converted many young persons who have derailed to normalcy.
I have traveled to many states such as Katsina, Kano, Borno, and even Difa in the Niger Republic educating people about the dangers of terrorism.
I have engaged those Boko haram ideologies in different places.
I have been writing pamphlets in Hausa, English, and Arabic. I have managed to bring back several young persons who have derailed from the right path.
“Some of the comments I made some years ago that are generating controversies now were based on my understanding of religious issues at the time, and I have changed several positions taken in the past based on new evidence and maturity.
“I was young when I made some of the comments; I was in university, some of the comments were made when I was a teenager.
I started preaching when I was 13, many scholars and individuals did not understand some of the international events and, therefore, took some positions based on their understanding, some have come to change their positions later.
” He spoke while answering questions during his daily Ramadan lecture at Annor Mosque in Abuja on Saturday.
