A Bauchi State-based Islamic group, the Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa’ikamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS), says allegations levelled against the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, are actually targeted at the President Muhammadu Buhari.

The group also called on the goverment and security agencies to take action against people with “questionable character who have never hidden their desire to see the failure and disintegration of Nigeria.”

In a communique released by the group after its meeting in Bauchi on Sunday, the Chairman of JIBWIS, Barrister Garba Hassan, said the attacks on Pantami by people he termed as enemies of Islam and the north, were not aimed at the minister but at Buhari.

We have observed with dismay that the pull-him-down war being waged against Dr Isa Ali Pantami in his current position as a senior member of President Buhari’s cabinet, is nothing other than the pursuit of the sheer hatred, grudges and ill-will being nursed against the President himself and the north in general,” the communique reads.

“Both known and hidden enemies of the administration who have, from the word go, never missed any opportunity to express negative, low and mischievous opinion about the government to the extent of openly supporting agitations and attempt to bring the whole system down, are the hidden hands behind the allegations.

Basically, the present campaign of calumny, blackmail and hatred against the truly patriotic, performing and responsible Dr. Isa Ali Pantami is actually in furtherance of the agenda hatched long ago to do everything possible to discredit the present administration.

“We call on the Federal Government and security agencies to double their efforts in the area of confronting the various security challenges being faced by the country.

“Issues having to do with intelligence gathering should be accorded serious attention.”