By Gabriel Atumeyi
Popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, says the activities of criminal herdsmen cannot be compared with those of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Speaking on Arise TV on Wednesday, Gumi called for “fairness” in the comparison between the two groups, saying one “is killing our gallant men” while the other is “kidnapping children to make money and not to kill them”.
“IPOB is attacking the police, the army, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other government institutions; killing our men in service,” he said.
”And the herdsmen are kidnapping children not to kill them but to get money; so how can you compare somebody who is killing our gallant men directly to somebody who is kidnapping children to make money and not to kill them. Look, we need some fairness in what we are doing.”
The cleric, who is known to have access to bandits, said herdsmen’s crimes weigh significantly lesser than those of IPOB.
Bandits have so far kidnapped over 800 school children across the north since December 2020.
The ensuing security situation in those states have deteriorated with death several Greenfield University students in Kaduna.
Also in the Southeast, since IPOB launched its militia arm called Eastern Security Network (ESN) a few months ago, attacks on security operatives and government infrastructure have surged in Imo, Ebonyi, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Delta stated.