By Tayo Alabi

Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, may have laid to rest controversy over his comments in the past, as the minister has renounced his past comments on terrorist groups.

Specifically, Pantami said he was young when he made the radical comments, adding that he is now mature and now knows better.

Acccording to Daily Trust, he spoke while answering questions during his daily Ramadan lecture at Annor Mosque in Abuja on Saturday.

“For 15 years, I have moved round the country while educating people about the dangers of terrorism. I have traveled to Katsina, Gombe, Borno, Kano states and Difa in Niger Republic to preach against terrorism.

“I have engaged those with Boko Haram ideologies in different places. I have been writing pamphlets in Hausa, English and Arabic. I have managed to bring back several young persons who have derailed from the right path.

“Some of the comments I made some years ago that are generating controversies now were based on my understanding of religious issues at the time, and I have changed several positions taken in the past based on new evidence and maturity.

“I was young when I made some of the comments; I was in university, some of the comments were made when I was a teenager. I started preaching when I was 13, many scholars and individuals did not understand some of international events and therefore took some positions based on their understanding, some have come to change their positions later,” Daily Trust quoted Pantami as saying.

IndeedPantami has come under fire over his alleged link with terrorist groups, with many Nigerians calling for his resignation.

But the minister in his latest interview said his statements were misconstrued, rejecting affiliations with terror groups.