El-Rufai explains why Boko Haram, bandits can’t be treated like IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu

The Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai has said the Boko Haram terrorists and bandits are different from the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, as they do not have a recognised and centralised leadership.

Speaking during an interview on BBC Pidgin on Friday morning, monitored by Ripples Nigeria, El-Rufai argued that Kanu is a visible and central leader, who is based abroad and calling for the dissolution of the country.

Responding to a question on why bandits and terrorists in the North are not treated with the same swiftness the agitators in the South are dealt with, El-Rufai said, “I was very happy (when Nnamdi Kanu was arrested) because, first he jumped bail, jeopardising his sureties.

“Secondly, a person that challenges the sovereignty and the authority of a state and incites violence; he refers to his own country as a zoo.

“This should be a message to all these separatists challenging the authority of the Nigerian State to be very careful.”

READ ALSO: Panic in Delta over bombing of IPOB settlement, rumored herdsmen attack

Furthermore, he said, “People are comparing apples to oranges. Nnamdi Kanu is the leader of IPOB, a proscribed organisation. He is identifiable, in constant communication and everyone knows where he is.

“Let’s take Boko Haram for instance. Shekau was in hiding and for the past 10 years and the military had been waging a war to get him. It is not like Shekau was in Saudi Arabia, sitting in one place, tweeting about the break up of Nigeria, or asking Boko Haram to go and kill Helen and Nasir El-Rufai.

“Nnamdi Kanu is in one place while Shekau is waging guerrilla warfare. The insurgency is still going on and the Federal Government is not giving up.

“Regarding bandits, they are not centralised under one leadership. Who is the head of the bandits? Who is the equivalent of Nnamdi Kanu with banditry? Bandits are just collections of independent criminals. It is a business for them. It is not a case of Nigeria must break up.

“I want to challenge anyone to tell me the central leader of bandits in the same position as Kanu.”

By Victor Uzoho

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now