Daily Independent retracts terror watchlist story, apologises to Pantami
The Daily Independent has retracted its story in which it said the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, is on the terror watchlist of the United States.
The minister had threatened legal action against the newspaper if it did not retract and apologise to him for the defamatory publication within 24 hours.
In compliance to the minister’s ultimatum, the newspaper on Tuesday retracted the story, saying the information in the story was not true.
“RE: Disquiet As America Places Nigerian Minister On Watchlist
“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,” the newspaper said.
