By Editor
A 2020 report by SaharaReporters has resurfaced online alleging that Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, who served as Minister of Communications and Digital Economy under former President Muhammadu Buhari, was “living large” in Abuja and had purchased three houses in the Wuse district for his three wives.
The report, published on July 3, 2020 under the “PHOTONEWS” tag, did not include photographic evidence in the excerpt provided, but claimed the properties were acquired in Wuse, one of Abuja’s central and high-value residential and commercial areas.
SaharaReporters described itself at the time as a platform that encourages citizen journalism to report alleged corruption and government malfeasance in Africa, using photos, text and video to prompt public action and scrutiny of officials.
Dr. Pantami served as Minister of Communications and Digital Economy from 2019 to 2023. During his tenure he was a central figure in Nigeria’s NIN-SIM linkage policy, 5G rollout plans, and the push for a digital economy. He had not publicly commented on the specific 2020 allegation in the material provided.
The allegation touches on a recurring public concern in Nigeria around the assets of public officials, transparency, and the Code of Conduct Bureau requirements for asset declaration by ministers and other appointees.
Wuse is known for a mix of older residential buildings and newer developments, with property prices among the higher ranges in the Federal Capital Territory. The area is popular with civil servants, politicians and business owners because of its proximity to government offices.
As of the date of the original report in July 2020, no court filing or official government statement confirming or denying the specific claim about the three Wuse houses was included in the SaharaReporters post. The story was presented as an allegation based on the outlet’s reporting.
The post continues to circulate on social media in 2026, prompting renewed discussion about accountability and asset ownership by former public officials. Readers are advised to treat the 2020 report as an allegation reported by SaharaReporters and to seek official records or responses for verification.
add a fact-check note and possible official response template?
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