Like the Oodua Action Movement (OAM), the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has also warned popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Gumi, against comparing its members with the terrorist group, Boko Haram.
The Sheikh had in an interview with the BBC Pidgin compared Biafra agitators and those for the republic of Oduduwa republic with the bandits rampaging the North and the entire South.
But IPOB, in a statement by the Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said it was insulting comparing freedom fighters with blood-sucking demons in human clothing.
The statement reads: “We the global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), under the leadership of our great leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, read with incredulity a provocative remark credited to a filthy looking so-called acclaimed Islamic cleric in the mould of Sheikh Gumi that bandits and freedom fighters are the same.
“Gumi, in the said media report, allegedly compared agitators of Biafra and Oduduwa republics with his Fulani bandits rampaging the North and ravaging the entire South.
“Such a statement if true, has simply unmasked and exposed the real identify of this man masquerading as an Islamic cleric when in actual fact he is one of the hardened supporters of Fulani terrorism.
“With such ignorance- laden utterance from a supposed Islamic scholar, the world does not need to look far for the real sponsors of banditry and terrorism in Nigeria.
“We now know those behind the killing spree and evil agenda to decimate indigenous ethnic populations and non-muslim communities across Nigeria.
“Before now Nigerians were deceived into believing that bandits and other agents of terror on rampage all over Nigeria were invisible and without a fixed address. How come this pretender and self-acclaimed Islamic cleric knew where to find the bandits?
“He even posed for a picture with gun wielding murderers and was very proud of it. How was it that this man managed to locate the hideout of these mass murderers but Nigeria Airforce cannot?
“How come there hasn’t been any invasion or bombing of any of these bandit settlements in the North but the same Nigeria Airforce were quick to deploy fighter jets to be terrorising innocent citizens in Orlu?
“Not only did Sheikh Gumi wine and dine with their bandits, he has also suddenly become their advocate. He has gone to the extent of comparing blood suckers with self-determination activists. What a national embarrassment!
“In his warped mind, Sheikh Gumi can no longer differentiate between self-determination, which is a constitutionally guaranteed right and terrorism which is a crime.
“This hypocrisy has confirmed our earlier position that terrorism and banditry in Nigeria are the common agenda of the caliphate.”