The report, published by the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), shows a sharp rise in the use of AI tools by criminals to execute increasingly sophisticated online fraud schemes.

It recorded 22,364 complaints linked to AI-enabled cyber activity during the year, with total adjusted losses estimated at over $893.3 million.

According to the FBI, criminals are using AI to generate convincing fake identities, including social media profiles, voice recordings and video content, making scams harder to detect.

Business email compromise schemes using AI-generated messages and voice cloning accounted for more than $30 million in losses, while impersonation and trust-building scams led to over $19 million in reported losses. Fraud involving cloned voices of family members in distress scams accounted for more than $5 million.

The report also highlighted large-scale losses from AI-assisted investment scams, which exceeded $632 million, representing the biggest share of AI-related fraud. In addition, AI-generated deepfakes and voice spoofing were used in recruitment and interview scams that caused nearly $13 million in losses.

The FBI warned that the growing accessibility of AI tools is expected to further accelerate cybercriminal activity, increasing risks for individuals, businesses and financial institutions globally.

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Federal investigators say Mr Kim, who worked at Citibank’s investment banking division in San Francisco, passed material non-public information about upcoming corporate acquisitions to his friend Saad Shoukat. Mr Shoukat allegedly relayed the tips to Okonkwo and other associates, enabling them to buy stocks ahead of major takeover announcements. According to an FBI complaint, Okonkwo allowed Mr Shoukat to trade through his brokerage accounts in exchange for keeping half of the profits.

Prosecutors detailed multiple trades linked to acquisitions by major pharmaceutical companies including Gilead, Amgen, GSK, Pfizer, Biogen, and AbbVie. In one instance, Okonkwo reportedly made $2.3 million from Gilead’s $21 billion takeover of Immunomedics in 2020. Additional trades in Five Prime, Sierra, GBT, Reata, and Immonogen brought the entrepreneur and his associates millions more. Investigators traced account logins to a London residence linked to Okonkwo, where Mr Shoukat is believed to have stayed while executing trades.

Court documents state that Okonkwo’s trades and those of his relatives yielded more than $7 million in profits, while the broader network—including the Shoukat brothers, Okonkwo, and another associate—earned at least $41 million collectively. Mr Kim is already facing six charges, including insider trading, wire fraud, and money laundering.

It remains unclear whether Okonkwo has been taken into custody. The indictment describes him as a dual Nigerian-American citizen operating between Lagos and Atlanta. Public records show Pastel, formerly Sabi Cash, has offices in Yaba, Lagos, while Okonkwo has previously maintained workspaces in the United States. He did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and a Pastel spokesperson declined to comment on the investigation.

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TECHDIGEST – No less than 31 lawyers have expressed their interest in defending a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, suspended in connection with a $1.1m scam involving a self-confessed fraudster, Ramon Abbas a.k.a Hushpuppi.

Barrister Bappah Salisu, who spoke for the group of lawyers drawn from the 19 Northern states in the country, disclosed this on Wednesday in a statement issued in Abuja.

The legal practitioners said their decision to offer free legal services to Kyari was in response to the recent call by the Coalition of Northern Groups for the preservation of his fundamental rights following an indictment by a court in the United States of America.

According to him, there were several procedural lapses bordering on breaches of international protocol in the FBI attempt to have Kyari, a former Commander of the Police Intelligence Response Team, extradited to the U.S. to face criminal charges.

He said, “We would raise questions involving the possibility of breaches to Kyari’s fundamental rights entrenched in Articles 6 and 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Right which essentially state that every individual shall have the right to liberty and to the security of his person and every individual shall have the right to have his cause heard.

“This comprises: the right to an appeal to competent national organs against acts of violating his fundamental rights as recognized and guaranteed by conventions, laws, regulations and customs in force.

“The right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty by a competent court or tribunal; the right to defence, including the right to be defended by counsel of his choice; the right to be tried within a reasonable time by an impartial court or tribunal.”

He further said they would also weigh the FBI procedures against Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which entitled the embattled Kyari to a fair hearing within a reasonable time by a court, or other tribunal.

He said, “Subsections 9 and 10 of this section also stipulates that everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law and everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.

“Also, the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights also states that everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence.”

Source: vanguard News

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TECHDIGEST – In September 2019, over a dozen entries were received nominating DCP Abba Kyari for a certain category of the First Security and Emergency Management Awards (SAEMA). At that time and up till recently, the now-suspended police officer was the most celebrated crime-buster in the Nigeria Police Force, leading him to be given the sobriquet of a “Supercop” for his extraordinary, if not close to legendary, prowess in tracking down and nabbing armed robbers and kidnappers.

The Chairperson of the awards panel, retired Air Vice Marshall Mohammed Audu-Bida, while considering other factors, urged members of the panel to reach out to senior officers in the security services for their comments on the process and probably put forward more nominations of potential awardees in the various categories being rewarded.

Thereafter, more nominations of gallant but unsung security personnel were received, especially from the Police, which have many officers who are mostly involved in intelligence and combat operations.

The former FCT Police Commissioner, now Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Bala Ciroma, had eloquent testimonies of how he had led officers and men of the Command in discreet operations that culminated in the arrests and occasional elimination of vicious armed gangs that were terrorising and abducting innocent people. Some of the cases and suspects were subsequently referred to the Force Headquarters or other security services for further actions.

Rather than accept his nomination, Ciroma had suggested a very thorough and disciplinarian female police officer, CSP Olabisi Davies, who was DPO at Wuye, which had become one of the most peaceful districts in Abuja. The policewoman was always on patrol at night, seeking out those involved in nefarious activities, usually under the cover of darkness. She also had a track record of successfully turning young offenders into productive citizens through counselling in the district.

Similarly, one DCP Kolo Yusuf, who had also led his team to capture over 100 kidnappers terrorizing innocent people in mostly the North-West and North-Central zones, politely declined his nomination for an award but rather recommended the twin police officers, Hassan and Hussaini Gimba, who were noted as developing remarkable profiles in crime-fighting in his team.

The twins have appeared on several verified videos clips interrogating arrested criminals, whose sophisticated weapons and arms had equally been wrested from them and put forward as exhibits. Strangely too, the twin officers had insisted that unless the Police Headquarters endorsed their nomination, they could not honour the award events.

There was also another counter-terrorism police officer, CSP Ibrahim Mohammed, who had not only competently engaged ISWAP/Boko Haram terrorists in combat, but had led his team on several rescue operations involving citizens, including soldiers, who were delivered from the vice-grip of the insurgents in Borno State.

In fact, the story of DCP Tunde Disu, who replaced Abba Kyari, constitutes another chapter entirely. Disu has saved many lives, especially those of youths and young graduates, who could have found themselves either as victims or engaged in fraud and other criminal activities. It was only when it had become absolutely necessary, and there was unassailable evidence of wrongdoing that Disu ever agreed to the public parade of crime suspects.

There are indeed many security personnel in the Force today, who are performing exceedingly well in their areas of responsibility and would rather keep low profiles than cultivate unnecessary public exposure, due to the sensitive nature of their assignments. They are the unsung security personnel but highly dedicated to the protection of the lives and properties of which only a very few are ever celebrated.

While it is regrettable that Abba Kyari allowed overzealousness, exuberance and indiscretion to define his actions in his security and law enforcement duties, I would rather blame the society, his media handlers and the Police Force for what is now deemed as his fall from grace to grass.

Even though society naturally appreciates the gallantry of our security agencies and officials, it was quite unfortunate that many top public functionaries and business people were inviting DCP Kyari to their events and posting such engagements in the media to ratchet up their social standing. And yet ill-advisedly too, instead of becoming very cautious about some of these outings, Kyari appeared to have gotten carried away and revelled in the spotlight, leading to the abuse of the privileges and disposition of his sensitive strategic positions, in hobnobbing with people of questionable integrity, and equally posting these on social media platforms.

While the media developed interests in his exploits as a crime fighter, they allowed him or his media handlers to promote his efforts, rather than those of his team to the high heavens. This became one of his major Achilles heels. There is a huge gulf between the practice of public relations and the indulgence in publicity as an end in itself. In PR, not all activities need to be publicised or promoted because of the potential fallouts of such exposure. Some publicity in terms of policing or security duties could end up enabling the reprisal intents of the targets of one’s exertions, besides the envy of peers and enemies that comes which such territory.

As an institution with moral and ethical values, the Police appeared not to have been able to tame Kyari, even when he was showing up in very lousy places for the glitz of the celebrity showcase. Instead of reprimanding and curtailing him, the command seemed to have gotten caught up in the cult of the celebrity of an individual, rather than the celebration of the team. In fact, when his younger sister got married in 2019, the creme de la creme of society ‘stormed’ Maiduguri, including the then Inspector General of Police, among top dignitaries, in what was a high society event witnessing guest arrivals in different aircraft.

Meanwhile, DCP Kyari’s case still hangs on the balance. Before the American FBI went public in indicting him, as it has done, it ought to have contacted its Nigerian counterpart with the overwhelming evidence it had against the super cop, as it is traditionally the case. Even at that, it might be difficult to perfect the extradition of Abba Kyari to the United States of America on technical grounds, alongside other militating factors. Similar indictments by the American system against prominent Nigerians were not consummated in the extradition of these personalities. There was the case of a politician, Senator Buruji Kashamu, indicted for alleged illicit drug peddling, which was ongoing before he died, and there is the example of the owner of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, over money laundering claims, as recent references.

While he could attempt to hide under the concept of an agent provocateur to defend himself in this situation, nevertheless his work as an undercover operative is not known. In fact, agent provocateurs are expected to act as secret agents encouraging suspected criminals to carry out their illegal activities as a way of obtaining evidence. However, Abba Kyari could not be said to fit into this role because he has been widely promoted as a known or overt crime fighter.

My greatest concern has been the huge damage this affair has done to our law enforcement services, as a well-decorated officer considered as one of our finest, who had taken enormous risks in resolving fighting crime and saving lives (winning laurels, accolades and swift promotions) is suddenly discovered to have gone rogue or compromised at some point.

There are a lot of lessons to be learnt from the Abba Kyari affair, especially by law enforcement officials on reputation management and the seductive adulation of the public spotlight.

Yushau A. Shuaib
Author of “Award-Winning Crisis Communication Strategies” and “An Encounter with the Spymaster”
www.YAShuaib.com

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TECHDIGEST – Embattled Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, has deleted a post on his verified Facebook account after the Federal Bureau of Investigation alleged that money laundering suspect, Abass Ramon, aka Hushpuppi, paid N8m or $20,600 to the police officer to arrest and detain a “co-conspirator,” Chibuzo Vincent.

Upon his indictment last week, Kyari had on July 29, 2021, published a defence against the allegation of collusion in an alleged $1.1m fraud against a Qatari businessman but he deleted the post last night after many Nigerians pointed out the logical gaps in his denial.

The United States District Court for the Central District of California had accused Kyari, Hushpuppi and four others of fleecing the Qatari investor of $1.1m.

Kyari, who has 447,353 followers on Facebook as of the time of filing this report, had taken to the Blueville on on July 29, 2021 to chronicle his denial against the allegations by the US court.

Kyari had claimed that Hushpuppi raised the alarm that Vincent wanted to take his life. The cop, however, said upon the arrest of Vincent, investigation showed that “they (Hushpuppi and Vincent) are long-time friends who have money issues between them hence we released the suspect on bail to go”.

The cop had also added, “Nobody demanded a kobo from Abbas Hushpuppi. Our focus was to save people’s lives that were purported to have been threatened.

“Later, he (Hushpuppi) saw some of my native clothes and caps on my social media page and he said he likes them and he was connected to the person selling the clothes and he sent about N300k (N300,000) directly to the person’s account. The native clothes and caps (five sets) were brought to our office and He sent somebody to collect them in our office.”

However, FBI Special Agent, Andrew Innocenti, in a document titled, ‘Criminal Complaint By Telephone Or Other Reliable Electronic Means’ filed before the United States District Court for the Central District of California, alleged that Hushpuppi contracted the services of Kyari after Chibuzo allegedly threatened to expose the alleged $1.1m fraud committed against the Qatari businessman.

45 of the document dated February 12, 2021 which became public recently stated, “Kyari provided the account information for a bank account at a Nigerian bank, Zenith Bank, in the name of a person other than Kyari himself.”

“This was not the only time that Abbas arranged payments with Kyari”, adding, “On May 20, 2020, Abbas sent Kyari transaction receipts for two transactions from accounts at Nigerian banks (GTBank and Zenith Bank) of a person Abbas knew in the U.A.E.— a person also arrested with Abbas in Abbas’ apartment in the U.A.E. by Dubai Police on June 9, 2020 — to the Nigerian bank accounts of another person in Nigeria.

“The amounts on the transaction receipts totalled 8 million Nigerian Naira, which was approximately $20,600 based on publicly available exchange rate information,” the FBI Agent added. A warrant of arrest has since been issued by the court against Kyari.

Kyari subsequently deleted his “N300,000” Facebook post after Innocenti’s accusation became public. He also deleted a third-party post authored by a former minister in his defence.

Kyari’s post had attracted a lot of scrutiny from thousands of his social media followers and many Nigerians who expressed disappointment in the conduct of the detective and “celebrated cop”.

The PUNCH had earlier reported that Kyari, the suspended former Head of the Intelligence Response Team, appeared before the Special Investigation Panel, headed by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in-charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department, Joseph Egbunike.

Kyari, presented his defence to the SIP at the Force headquarters, Abuja, on Tuesday. The panel constituted by Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, is expected to probe Kyari and submit its findings to the IGP.

Also, the new Head of the Intelligence Response Team, Tunji Disu, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, resumed at the Guzape, Abuja headquarters of the unit on Tuesday.

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TECHDIGEST – More details have emanated on the alleged shady deal between suspected internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas aka Hushpuppi, and Nigerian Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari.

The details are contained in court documents filed by the United States Government against Huspuppi, Kyari and four other suspected members of an internet fraud syndicate.

The U.S Government named Ramon Olorunwa Abbas (Ray Hushpuppi), Abba Alhaji Kyari (Deputy Commissioner of Police), Abdulrahman Imraan Juma, Vincent Kelly Chibuzo, Rukayat Motunraya Fashola and Bolatito Tawakalitu Agbabiaka as defendants in the criminal complaint it filed before the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

The complaint was filed on behalf of the U.S government by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) special agent, Andrew John Innocenti.

Meanwhile, following reports linking him to Hushpuppi’s alleged fraudulent activities, Kyari had on Thursday denied the allegations in a statement he posted on his Facebook page.

But in the court documents the FBI agent provided text messages, photos and transcripts of WhatsApp calls exchanged between Hushpuppi and the Deputy Police Commissioner.

The document showed how DCP Kyari arrested and detained a member of Hushpuppi’s clique, Vincent Kelly Chibuzo, at the behest of the alleged fraudster.

Hushpuppi told Kyari that Chibuzo had tried to expose a fraudulent scheme and divert the proceeds intended for him and a member of his clique after they fell out.

Part of the document reads: “ABBAS then arranged to have KYARI arrest and imprison CHIBUZO in Nigeria for attempting to redirect fraudulent proceeds intended for ABBAS and JUMA to himself, to keep CHIBUZO from interfering with the scheme. This section discusses those events and KYARI’s involvement in the conspiracy.”

“On January 15, 2020, this time using WhatsApp, ABBAS sent an audio recording to KYARI, stating, essentially, that he wanted to remind KYARI about what they discussed earlier,” referring to his request for Kyari to arrest and detain Chibuzo.

“On January 16, 2020, ABBAS sent the following threats to CHIBUZO: “I dey always tell people to think well before they offend me and make them make sure they fit stand the consequences when the time comes. I won’t say more than that but very soon, very very soon, the wrath of my hands shall find you and when it does, it will damage you forever. At this point I no get discussion with you, u have committed a crime that won’t be forgiven, that is punishable and you shall receive die punishment in due time I swear with my life you will regret messing with me, you will even wish you died before my hands will touch you.”

The document further showed that, “Also on January 16, 2020, ABBAS sent a message to KYARI on WhatsApp, and then placed five calls to another phone number (+2348060733588) that was listed as “ABBA KYARI.” Call records show that the last three of the calls were answered and that one of the calls lasted more than two minutes.

“Shortly after that, ABBAS received a message from KYARI, confirming “We would pick him today or tomorrow.” ABBAS wrote, “I will take care of the team also after they pick him up.” KYARI confirmed “Yes ooo.”

“ABBAS planned to pay the Nigeria Police Force officers who arrested CHIBUZO for that service. This was not the only time that ABBAS arranged payments with KYARI.

“On May 20, 2020, ABBAS sent KYARI transaction receipts for two transactions from accounts at Nigerian banks (GTBank and Zenith Bank) of a person ABBAS knew in the U.A.E.—a person also arrested with ABBAS in ABBAS’ apartment in the U.A.E. by Dubai Police on June 9, 2020—to the Nigerian bank accounts of another person in Nigeria. The amounts on the transaction receipts totaled 8 million Nigerian Naira, which was approximately $20,600 based on publicly available exchange rate information.

“…on January 20, 2020, KYARI sent to ABBAS biographical, identifying information for CHIBUZO, along with a photograph of him. In a conversation immediately following, ABBAS confirmed “that is him sir.”

“KYARI stated, “We have arrested the guy . . . He is in my Cell now. This is his picture after we arrested him today.

“KYARI sent the biographical information about, and photograph of, CHIBUZO to ABBAS using two different WhatsApp numbers—the second of which KYARI said was his “private number.” From that point on, KYARI and ABBAS primarily discussed the arrest and detention of KYARI through WhatsApp on this “private number.”

“After receiving the photograph of CHIBUZO, ABBAS stated, “I want him to go through the serious beating of his life.” KYARI responded, “Hahahaha,” and ABBAS replied, “Seriously sir.” KYARI then asked for details about what CHIBUZO did “on audio,” which KYARI said was “So that we will know what to do.”

“In response to KYARI’s question about what CHIBUZO had done to ABBAS, ABBAS sent KYARI an audio message, which is transcribed here, describing how CHIBUZO had tried to steal away a fraud victim (i.e., “the job”) from him: “What he did is, I have one job. The job want to pay me 500, umm, 75,000 dollars [i.e., $575,000]. He went to message the job behind me because I told him to help me make one document for me to give the job. Then he went—he has a—I gave him the details. Then he went to message the job behind my back and try to divert the money and in this process, he tell the job because of the documents he gave me that I gave the job, he tell the job, “These document they sent to you before. These people are fake. This money—is me who can help you to get it. Come to me le—bring this money you want to pay these people to me. I’m the only one who can help you,” and all these things to divert the job for himself.

“After listening to the message, KYARI wrote, “Ok I understand. But he has not succeeded.” ABBAS claimed CHIBUZO had taken some money, and provided KYARI with two screenshots, one of which contained the phone number 3054405586 (the phone number CHIBUZO used to contact the Victim Businessperson). The screenshots showed a person contacting the Victim Businessperson and stating that he was providing information to try to “help” the Victim Businessperson. KYARI responded, “Yeah I understand.” KYARI did not request other information or evidence relating to CHIBUZO’s role in the scheme, ask questions about the nature of the transaction, or ask about why CHIBUZO told the Victim Businessperson that ABBAS was “fake.”

“ABBAS then told KYARI, “Now the [Victim Businessperson] was skeptic to pay me the money cos he keep attacking the [Victim Businessperson] from his end. Now I can handle the [Victim Businessperson] correctly.” ABBAS further told KYARI that he wanted to pay money to send CHIBUZO to jail for a long time, stating “Please sir I want to spend money to send this boy to jail, let him go for a very long time.” KYARI responded, “Ok bro, I understand. I will discuss with my team who arrested him . . . And handling the case. We will do something about it.”

“ABBAS responded, “Let me know how I can send money to the team sir. let them deal with him like armed robber.” KYARI responded, “OK I will send their account details to u.” ABBAS further wrote, “He betray me and try to take food out my mouth, this is great punishable sin,” and KYARI responded, “Yeah bro.” ABBAS then continued, “I want him to suffer for many years.” KYARI responded, “Hahahaha…Hahahaha.”

“Approximately six minutes later, KYARI provided the account information for a bank account at a Nigerian bank, Zenith Bank, in the name of a person other than KYARI himself. ABBAS responded “Ok sir, tomorrow by noon,” indicating that he would make the payment to KYARI’s team by the next day.

“Approximately a month later, on February 19, 2020, KYARI sent a message to ABBAS, saying, “Hello hush with [sic] need to talk about the subject under detention with me.” ABBAS asked “Should I call u on this number sir?” to which KYARI replied, “Yes call me.”

“The following day, KYARI sent ABBAS multiple photographs of CHIBUZO to ABBAS, including close-up photographs showing a rash or skin disease on CHIBUZO’s torso and arms. ABBAS responded, “I don pity am, make them leave am from Tuesday.” KYARI wrote, “Ok bro, they just brought him from the hospital. The fever and the rashes is giving him serious Wahala. He got the disease from other suspects in the cell.” ABBAS responded, “I see am, I no too pity am. That’s what people like him deserve but I go forgive am for God sake.”

“In other words, based on my training and experience with Nigerian Pidgin, ABBAS was essentially stating, in part, “I don’t pity him. That’s what people like him deserve, but I will forgive him for God’s sake.”

“Based on the date of the messages and later discussion described in paragraph 150, ABBAS was—on Thursday, February 20, 2020-requesting that KYARI not to release CHIBUZO until Tuesday, February 25, 2020.

“ABBAS then told KYARI that CHIBUZO’s girlfriend messaged him, trying to raise one million Naira to secure CHIBUZO’s release, and said ABBAS promised to contribute 100,000 Naira. KYARI stated “They were thinking it’s normal arrest that is why they think money can remove him . . . No money can remove him here. Hahahaha.” ABBAS added, “But it’s better for them to think that way, I like it like that,” and KYARI responded, “Yeah.”

“ABBAS then said, “No problem sir from Tuesday he can go,” apparently giving KYARI his blessing to release CHIBUZO from custody. KYARI responded, “Ok bro. We will also keep his phone and other gadgets for some weeks.” ABBAS responded, “Yes those ones they should not give him again, those ones are gone . . . Make he no see those ones again for life,” instructing KYARI not to return CHIBUZO’s electronic devices. KYARI responded, “Yes he will not see it [¶] Again,” indicating that he would accede to ABBAS’ request.

“ABBAS Defrauded the Victim Businessperson of an Additional $180,000

“On February 14, 2020—shortly after JUMA had told ABBAS that he would not share the $299,983.58 that he had received from the Victim Businessperson with ABBAS—the Victim Businessperson confided in ABBAS, who was still pretending to be “Malik” the Wells Fargo banker, that she/he believed JUMA had been scamming her/him. ABBAS claimed to be surprised and falsely.”

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TECH DIGEST – The Daily Independent newspaper has retracted its story and apologised to Nigeria’s Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami over its Publication alleging that Mr. Pantami was placed on the terrorism watchlist of the United States Government.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, which was signed by its editor, the medium not that it has realised that the information contained in the story has not been verified to be true.

“Our attention has been drawn to the story with the above title, published in the Sunday Independent newspaper of April 11, 2021. We have since realized that the information contained in the story has not been verified to be true. The Minister mentioned in the story, Alhaji Isa Ali Ibrahim, also known as Sheikh Pantami, is not known to be on American Terror Watch List, nor is he linked to terror organisations. We regret and sincerely apologise for the embarrassment our story has caused the Honourable Minister whom we hold in high regard,” Editor, Daily Independent wrote.

Furthermore, checks on its website revealed that the medium has taken the story down from its Publications.

This retraction has come after PRNigeria Published findings of its Investigation revealed that the Embassy of the United States of America in Abuja could not confirm the allegation levelled against the Minister by the Newspaper.

Responding to a request for clarification over a media report linking the Minister to terrorism, the Public Affairs Section of the US Embassy could not provide any information but referred PRNigeria to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) which is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency.

Further investigation via the official website of FBI, Mr. Pantami’s name was nowhere to be found in the list of Most Wanted Terrorists, Fugitives or other Criminals.

The Nigerian Advocates for Digital Reporting (NADIR) has condemned as sensational and speculative media reports unleashed on the personality Pantami in what it described as a desperate attempt to stop him on his transformative tracks by linking him up to terrorist associations.

Meanwhile, Muslims Rights Concern (MURIC) says a report linking Minister of Communications, Isa Pantami with terrorism is fake news.

Prof. Ishaq Akintola, Director, MURIC said this in a statement in Abuja.

“Our attention has been drawn to a trending report that Dr Isa Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy is on the U.S. watch list for having links with terrorists. It is fake news. It is a lie from the pit of Jahannam.

“It is a product of malice, envy and evil desire concocted in the laboratory of the notorious pull him down syndrome. It exists only in the imagination of the authors of the evil plan, It will not stand the test of authenticity,” he said.

Akintola extolled the expertise and dedication of Pantami to his duties as minister and member of Federal Executive Council.

“Pantami is an honest, diligent and uncommon Islamic scholar whose ability to combine his discipline with digital expertise has raised him above his peers and made him an indispensable asset to this country. It is only people with diseased minds, who do not want progress for Nigeria that can make such malicious yet false allegation against him.

“We have been reading Pantami’s articles and watching his lecture videos long before he became minister, and on no occasion did he pour encomiums on terrorists or their aides. On the contrary, he always condemned violence and terrorism. Therefore, those who claim that he ‘spoke glowingly’ of associates of terrorist leaders are apostles of Lucifer and pathological liars,” Akintola said.

By PRNigeria

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TECH DIGEST – With condemnations trailing the alleged linking of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Ibrahim Isa Pantami, to Boko Haram and other terrorist groups by a Nigerian newspaper, the Embassy of the United States of America in Abuja could not confirm the allegation.

Responding to a request for clarification over a media report linking the Minister to terrorism, the Public Affairs Section of the US Embassy could not provide any information but referred PRNigeria to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) which is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency.

In a short message to PRNigeria it states that “Thank you for your inquiry, however, we defer all press inquiries on Minister Pantami to the FBI”

An unconfirmed report by Daily Independent claimed that the United States government allegedly placed Pantami on a watchlist for reported links with Boko Haram leaders without providing any source of the claim other than citing the “America’s Intelligence Service.”

Further investigation via the official website of FBI, Mr. Pantami’s name was nowhere to be found in the list of Most Wanted Terrorists, Fugitives or other Criminals.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Advocates for Digital Reporting (NADIR) has condemned as sensational and speculative media reports unleashed on the personality of Nigeria’s Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami in what it described as a desperate attempt to stop him on his transformative tracks by linking him up to terrorist associations.

The group which is an advocacy network for the promotion of Nigeria’s digital transformation and Media narratives towards creating awareness on Digital Economy opportunities says the development confirms the extent to which enemies of National growth and Development can go in order to stop the country from progressing.

The group in a statement by its Coordinator Mohammed Dahiru Lawal noted that it is a known fact the terrorist groups like Boko Haram Haram has continuously threatened the life of the Minister for introducing policies that seek to frustrate terrorist activities through his Ministry arguing that it is therefore ironic for the same personality to be associated with terrorism.

“First, the so-called report tried to establish a nexus between his alleged ties to terrorism and study in Saudi Arabia wherein Pantami studied in Nigeria, United Kingdom, and the United States of America, not Saudi Arabia.

“While the report failed to mention the official US Institution that allegedly placed him on a ‘terrorist watchlist,’ or backs its claims with a credible, verifiable and identifiable source, it tried hard to associate him with Boko Haram’s founder, Mohammad Yusuf in an old video in which Pantami was actually debating against Yusuf’s ideology of forbidding western education,” the group said.

It maintained that the Ministry of Communication was sleepy until Pantami took over and championed redesignation of the Ministry’s Name to include responsibilities for creating and formulating Policies for a sustainable Digital Economy for Nigeria which has achieved remarkable successes as reflected in the seventy-two pages compendium of achievements released to mark the one year of the Ministry’s existence.

NADIR, therefore, urged Nigerians not to be gulled by rumours and flat out lies that are meant to distract attention from the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy laudable projects which is gradually placing the country on the path of glory.

By PRNigeria

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