The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has said it is not after northerners, but against terrorists. This is in response to a Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi’s statement about the proscribed group ‘killing Nigeria’s gallant men’.
Afriupdate reported that Gumi had said IPOB kills security agents, but criminal herdsmen only kidnap children for money, hence people should be ‘fair’ when comparing.
Gumi, who many accuse of abetting bandits, said herdsmen’s crimes weigh significantly less than those of IPOB, a controversial group founded by diaspora-based Nnamdi Kanu, which is canvassing for the secession of Eastern Nigeria.
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”.
![[FILES] IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu in court](https://www.afriupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Nnamdi-Kanu-in-Court.jpg "IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu fails to regain freedom at Supreme Court 1")
IPOB is attacking the police, the army, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other government institutions; killing our men in service,” he had 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.”
But reacting, the Media and Publicity Secretary of the secessionist group who has the pseudonym, Emma Powerful, stated on Thursday in a statement that Gumi is merely ranting.
The group described the cleric’s comments as fallacious and mischievous.
IPOB’s statement read, “The attention of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra has been drawn to the latest ranting and ridiculous claims by terrorist apologist, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi, that IPOB and Eastern Security Network were killing northerners.
“ESN is a child of necessity created for the defence of our ancestral land against terrorists and killer herdsmen wreaking havoc across our communities. ESN is only defending our hapless mothers and sisters who have been raped, maimed and attacked without any justification by Fulani herdsmen.
“No northern in any part of Biafra land can prove that he/she has at any time been attacked by IPOB or ESN. We are only chasing terrorists and bandits behind killings and kidnapping for ransom in our land.”
Biafra today
The Biafra-Nigerian Civil War ended in January 1970 with the surrender of the Republic of Biafra, which dissolved and was reincorporated into Nigeria. The federal government of Nigeria’s “no victor, no vanquished policy” was promoted to foster national unity.
But today, the pro-Biafra movement is back and louder than ever.
Dozens of pro-Biafra activists are often arrested in cities across southeastern Nigeria.
Nigerian federal government officials say the country must remain united.
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