Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ibrahim Pantami, has become a Professor of cybersecurity.
Pantami is among seven Readers (Associate Professors) promoted to professor by the Governing Council of Federal Univerity of Technology Owerri (FUTO) at its 186th meeting held on Friday, August 20, 2021, according to PRNigeria.
Other promoted from Readers to Professor are Dr Okechukwu Onyelucheya of Chemical Engineering, Dr Alex I. Opara (Geology), Dr Conrad Enenebeaku (Chemistry), Dr Chikwendu Okereke (Geology), Dr Lawence Ettu (Civil Engineering) and Dr Godfrey Emeghara (Maritime Management Technology).
Pantami who recently bagged the Security and Emergency Management Award (SAEMA) on Cybersecurity had lectured at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, on ICT, before joining the Islamic University of Madinah as Head of Technical Writing in 2014.
He was appointed the Director-General and CEO of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in 2016, before he was appointed the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy on 21 August 2019.
Pantami’s past call to Jihad and unalloyed support for murderous groups like the Taliban and Al-Qaeda portray him as a dyed-in-the-wool Islamic fundamentalist.
Yet, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed him as communications minister to control the country’s massive data and telephone infrastructure and other sensitive details of national intelligence.
The President also recently stood by the minister after his past support for terrorist groups became public knowledge.
“This jihad is an obligation for every single believer, especially in Nigeria,’’ Pantami said in one of his vicious preachings in the 2000s.
“Oh God, give victory to the Taliban and al-Qaeda (Allahumma’ nṣur Ṭālibān wa-tanẓīm al Qā‘ida).”