Pantami Dismisses Ex-DSS Director’s Claims, Defends Security Record

Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, and Gombe State governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2027 election, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, has dismissed claims by retired Department of State Services (DSS) Director Dennis Amachree that the appointment of the renowned Islamic cleric exposed weaknesses in Nigeria’s security vetting process.

Pantami shared a rebuttal on his official Facebook page on Saturday, authored by Professor Sulaiman Muhammad, a retired director in the federal government, defending his security credentials and public service record.

Amachree, a retired Assistant Director of the DSS, in his memoir, DSS @40: My Journey Behind The Shield, argued that Pantami’s appointment by former President Muhammadu Buhari raised national security concerns after his old sermons allegedly expressing sympathy for extremist groups resurfaced in 2021.

The former intelligence officer said the controversy raised questions about how Pantami passed through the country’s security screening despite what he described as past extremist sympathies.

However, responding in a statement on Saturday, Professor Sulaiman Muhammad described Amachree’s position as incomplete, arguing that any assessment of Pantami’s security record should be based on documented facts, context and his performance in public office, noting that the controversial statements were made between 2001 and 2002 and had been taken out of context.

He said Pantami had explained that the remarks reflected his anger over the killing of innocent people at the time rather than support for violent extremism, adding that the former minister had consistently maintained he never endorsed the unlawful killing of civilians.

Professor Sulaiman, who is also one of the directors of Pantami Foundation, further recalled that Pantami publicly challenged the ideology of Boko Haram founder Mohammed Yusuf during a televised debate in Bauchi in 2006, years before the insurgent group escalated its violent campaign.

He noted that when the controversy resurfaced in 2021, Pantami publicly addressed the issue during Ramadan lectures, stating that his views had evolved over time and explicitly rejecting any association with extremist ideology.

Sulaiman argued that Pantami’s tenure as minister should also be considered, citing the implementation of the National Identification Number (NIN)-SIM integration policy, which he said strengthened the ability of security agencies to track criminal communications used by kidnappers, bandits and insurgents.

He referenced a 2020 video in which former Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau allegedly threatened Pantami over the NIN-SIM integration policy, arguing that the threat demonstrated the former minister’s role in disrupting terrorist operations rather than supporting them.