The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) says Minister Isa Pantami committed no offense by supporting Islamic terrorists home and abroad.
The Digital Economy and Communications chief had his support for terrorism unearthed by the media. While declaring support for foreign-based Al-Queda and Taliban elements, he decried the killing of Boko Haram terrorists whom he said were being killed like pigs.
He also exclaimed being happy whenever non-muslims were violently eliminated.
Renouncing them, the forty-eight year old said most of his comments in time past, including the latest in 2006 when he was 34, were made while he was immature.
Despite renouncing the comments, demands for his removal from office heightened with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) joining the bandwagon.
In its reaction, the Islamic group said the minister did nothing wrong and should continue his ministerial duties.
“It was not as if the minister committed any official misconduct. Neither is it for abuse of office nor corrupt enrichment,” Ishaq Akintola, director of MURIC said in a Monday statement. “Some people just want to crucify him for daring to acquire infotech skills ostensibly reserved for a certain circle of elites.
“The implications of Pantami’s resignation at this crucial stage are too gloomy to contemplate. It is a national security issue. The NIN scheme, our hope for dealing a technical blow on terrorism, insurgency, kidnapping, and all sorts of criminality in the country, will suffer suffocating palpitations. There will be a break in monitoring.
“If any problem arises after we have changed hands in the middle of its implementation, the new boss will easily shift the blame. It will then be a double tragedy. Let the beginner be the finisher,” Mr Akintola explained.
