Pantami’s appointment revealed gaps in Nigeria’s security screening, says ex-DSS director

A former Assistant Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Dennis Amachree, has alleged that the appointment of Isa Pantami as Minister of Communications and Digital Economy under former President Muhammadu Buhari exposed significant shortcomings in Nigeria’s security screening system and raised concerns about national security.

Amachree made the remarks in his memoir, DSS @40: My Journey Behind the Shield, where he reflected on his four decades of service in the country’s intelligence community.

In the book, the retired intelligence officer revisited the controversy that emerged in 2021 after old sermons and public comments allegedly linking Pantami to expressions of support for extremist organisations, including al-Qaeda, the Taliban and Boko Haram, resurfaced online.

According to Amachree, the incident prompted questions over how an individual entrusted with overseeing Nigeria’s telecommunications and digital infrastructure successfully passed the nation’s security vetting procedures.

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He explained that the DSS conducts comprehensive background investigations on nominees for sensitive public positions, reviewing factors such as previous affiliations, public speeches, academic history, political associations, personal relationships and online activities before submitting intelligence reports to the President and, where necessary, the National Assembly.

However, he stressed that the agency’s role is advisory rather than final.

Although he said he could not verify the exact contents of Pantami’s security report, Amachree maintained that it would have been unlikely for intelligence officers to overlook the minister’s past public statements during the screening process.

“In Pantami’s case, it is my belief that the DSS report likely contained references to his earlier extremist sympathies,” he said.

“However, when political imperatives such as federal character balancing, internal party politics, or strategic regional representation enter the equation, security advice can be sidelined.”

Amachree also recalled Pantami’s confirmation by the Senate, noting that Ajibola Basiru, who was then Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, had stated that lawmakers received no adverse security report before approving the nomination.

The former DSS official argued that the development reflected what he described as the politicisation of intelligence.

“There are two plausible interpretations here: either the DSS report was sanitized before reaching the Senate, or it was submitted with adverse findings that were simply disregarded due to political considerations,” he said.

“Both scenarios reflect systemic weaknesses in Nigeria’s national security framework, either in the flow of intelligence or in the institutional request for security recommendations.”

He further stated that the controversy weakened public trust in the country’s counterterrorism efforts, noting that the government was prosecuting insurgents while defending the appointment of an official whose past statements had come under intense public scrutiny.

Amachree added that the concerns were heightened because Pantami headed a ministry responsible for critical telecommunications and digital infrastructure.

“The controversy exposed deep contradictions in Nigeria’s counterterrorism strategy,” he said.

“While the country has expended billions of naira combating Boko Haram, ISWAP and other extremist groups, it simultaneously appointed a minister with a documented history of expressing extremist views.”

Describing the episode as a lesson for future administrations, Amachree urged authorities to place greater emphasis on intelligence assessments during appointments.

“It highlights the urgent need to strengthen institutional respect for intelligence assessments,” he added.

He concluded that insulating security decisions from political influence and giving due consideration to intelligence recommendations would strengthen public confidence in Nigeria’s national security institutions.

(The CABLE)