Are we the frog in boiling water?
This week’s main item follows recent news about Nigeria’s Minister for Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami. We’ll look at how the story’s developed, where it fits in broader events, and various responses to it from both government and the public.
But first, breathe.
Good? Let’s begin
What’s Happened So Far:
On the 12 of April, a National News platform reported that Isa Pantami was on the US “No-fly” terrorist watchlist for alleged ties with Boko Haram founder Mohammed Yusuf and his affinity with Al Qaeda. Public records confirm that he eulogised Osama Bin Ladin as a “better man than him”).
Pantami denies all and threatens to sue the platform.
The platform takes the story down.
Print and video evidence of Pantami’s incendiary rhetoric surface. Many insist the evidence is clear corroboration of original allegations. Why was a potential threat to national security appointed into office? Will he resign?
Pantami admits that he did say these things and offers a public apology where he claims “youthful ignorance” (he was 33 in 2006). But regret doesn't erase consequences, hence the beginning of the hashtag #pantamiresign.
Pantami’s Supporters argue that his extremist views from 2 decades ago shouldn’t matter now. They also maintain that the security concerns about his ministerial access to Nigerians via NINs is a snare and an attempt to discredit his work- they started the hashtag #pantamiwillstay.
What We Know:
Minutes from a meeting believed to have been held on the 13th of July 2010 surface. The document states that political affiliates from Plateau, Bauchi, Kaduna and Niger, and Pantami were present.
The meeting agenda reads: “The Christians what to still take over: Address the growth of Christianity in the north[…] Liberate Kaduna.”
It also suggests that they discussed taking out the then governor of Kaduna State Governor Patrick Yakowa, a Christian. The minutes read: “Governor Patrick Yakowa and any other Christian cannot assume that seat forever […] we must device all political and jihadist means [...] attacks must continue against Christians.”
Governor Patrick Yakowa died in a plane crash in 2012.
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Why This Matters:
This 2020 report, researched and documented by the International Committee on Nigeria in collaboration with the International Organisation for Peace Building and Social Justice, lays out evidence of targeted terrorism beyond Boko Haram.
Over 100 churches have been burnt in Northern Nigeria since 2001
Many of the attacked and destroyed communities in the North are predominantly Christians, traditional worshipers and non-religious Nigerians.
Many of these attacks are by Boko Haram or armed groups that are just assumed to be Herdsmen (whose crimes the government continue to overlook-- despite the trauma they have caused with killings, rape and destruction of property),
Under the supervision of governmental bodies, citizens have been imprisoned and even killed for religious beliefs other than Islam: case in point atheist Northerner Mubarak Bala, who has been in prison for over a year because he publicly condemned some of the extremism he witnessed.
How The Government Is Responding:
Politicians (That aren’t in the present presidency party APC) demanded that the Department of State Services (DSS) sanction Pantami immediately and force him to resign since he has refused to.
The Presidency claims that it didn't know Pantami’s pro-Taliban views and that citizens are partly to blame. That if the DSS didn’t identify the threat, citizens should have and brought it to their attention.
Former Assistant Director with the Department of State Services (DSS), Dennis Amachree, claims that the department informed the government of Pantami’s pro-Taliban views.
PS. We aren't usually the ones that handle identifying threats. We pay taxes, so the FG can hire experts to do these things.
Reps from the All Progressive Party (APC) said that the man has apologised and we should stop trying to ‘cancel’ him over something he did in the past (the thing? Being actively pro-terrorist groups when he was in his 30s).
Buhari’s spokesman Garba Shehu Thursday said the government was content with Pantami’s apologies over his past support for Taliban and Al-Qaeda and described the calls for him to resign as a “manufactured dispute”.
Remember: the presidency has also said that ‘Repentant’ Boko Haram extremists can become Nigerian Ministers.
They’re also very much fans of no punishment for terrorist groups kidnapping, killing, and displacing average citizens.
Things We Didn’t Get Into:
Chadian military President Idriss Deby died last week from injuries sustained during an attack while visiting military troops. He was just about to begin his 31st year as president after the “election” the previous week. The Chadian military has decided that Deby’s son will hold the fort now-- why hold an election when you can get the military leader son to do it.
Fuel Scarcity: Last week, it was Kano, now Abuja is also experiencing fuel scarcity
Buhari said once again Nigeria is “ready to support climate activism”. - this has happened every year since 2017.
In one of 4 reported terrorist attacks this week, Herdsmen injured and possibly killed a traditional ruler and 3 others while they were asleep.
Recommended reads
A fictional story: The Husband Stitch by Carmen Maria Machado. What better time to take a break from reality
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