There have been growing calls for President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the minister over comments praising terrorists organization and their leaders.
TrackNews reports that Pantami had once revealed how joyful he used to feel with the killing of those he considered infidels.
The minister said this in three audio recordings of his teachings in the 2000s, when he condemned deadly operations of the then Al Qaeda and Taliban elements who were on a campaign to obliterate the West and conquer other parts of the world.
The minister said; “We are all happy whenever unbelievers are being killed,” Mr Pantami said. “But the Sharia does not allow us to kill them without a reason.”
“Our zeal (hamasa) should not take precedence over our obedience to the sacred law,” he added.
Pantami in his submission while responding to audience questions about his views on the then leader of the terrorist group, Osama Bin Laden, stated that he still considers the leader of the extremists a better Muslim faithful to himself.
But the minister recanted the comments on Saturday, saying that he has “changed several positions taken in the past based on new evidence and maturity.”
Isa Pantami blamed immaturity and limited knowledge for his views back then.
Pantami attended Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Buhari.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the council meeting, said the issue was not raised at all.
Mohammed was asked whether the council discussed the matter and whether the government was comfortable with its burden on its image.
Mohammed responded: “I’m not going into the issue of whether government is comfortable or not. I will answer your questioned directly. It was not discussed at the council meeting.”
