FBI Report: Pantami rejects newspaper apology

The minister of Communications and  Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ibrahim Pantami, has vowed to pursue legal action against the Daily Independent newspaper despite apologizing over a report linking him to Boko Haram terrorists.

The newspaper had in a report alleged that the minister, according to a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) report, had a link with Book Haram, a terrorist group.

The minister, however, through his Counsel, Michael Jonathan Numa, described the apology as inadequate. contained grave defamatory statements impugning the hard-earned reputation of our client.

Pantami described the report published on Sunday, April 11, 2021, with the title “Disquiet as America Places Nigerian Minister on Watch List,” as unfounded.

Read Also:Report allegedly linking Pantami with terrorism, fake news- MURIC

”The Daily Independent Newspaper has now purportedly retracted the grossly libellous statements and allegations via its Twitter handle (@IndependentNGR) on the 14th day of April 2021, claiming that they have realized that the publication ‘has not been verified to be true.  This is an affirmation of the high level of irresponsibility exhibited by the Media House which prides itself as “the most read newspaper among the political and business elites.

”A defamatory publication containing such grave and unverified allegations cannot be wished away by a bland and emotionless tweet which does not show contriteness for the immeasurable and malignant damage done to our Client’s pristine reputation.

”The said retraction having not met our client’s demand leaves us with no option than to pursue every legal means to guard the hard-earned reputation of our client as earlier indicated in our letter of 12th April 2021.”