Ex-DSS Director Claims Politics Overrode Security Advice In Pantami Appointment

By Ya u Waziri Gombe.

A retired Assistant Director of Nigeria's Department of State Services, Dennis Amachree, says the appointment of Isa Pantami as Minister of Communications and Digital Economy under former President Muhammadu Buhari raised national security concerns and exposed weaknesses in the country's security vetting process.

Amachree made the remarks in his newly released memoir, DSS @40: My Journey Behind the Shield, where he reflected on the controversy that followed the resurfacing of Pantami's past sermons and public statements in 2021.

According to the retired intelligence officer, the controversy prompted questions about how an individual overseeing Nigeria's critical telecommunications and digital infrastructure passed through the nation's security screening process.

He explained that the DSS carries out comprehensive background checks on nominees for sensitive public offices, examining past affiliations, public speeches, academic records, political leanings, associations and online activities before submitting intelligence reports to the President and, where necessary, the National Assembly.

Amachree, however, noted that the agency's role is strictly advisory. While stating that he could not confirm the contents of Pantami's security report, he said it was difficult to believe that the minister's previous public statements would have escaped the attention of intelligence officers.

He suggested that political considerations may have outweighed security recommendations, adding that the episode reflected what he described as the politicisation of intelligence.

Amachree also recalled that the Senate had stated it received no adverse security report before confirming Pantami's nomination. He said this leaves two possibilities: either any negative findings were removed before reaching lawmakers, or they were ignored for political reasons.

He argued that the controversy weakened public confidence in Nigeria's counterterrorism efforts, particularly as the government continued its fight against Boko Haram and ISWAP while defending the appointment of an official whose past statements had come under scrutiny.

Amachree concluded that the Pantami episode should serve as a cautionary lesson for future administrations, calling for greater respect for intelligence assessments and stronger safeguards to insulate national security decisions from political interference.