IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu not the same as Boko Haram or Bandits— el-Rufai 

Boko Haram terrorists and bandits, according to Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai, are distinct from the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, since they lack a recognized and centralised leadership.

Kanu, he added, is a prominent and key leader who is located outside and calls for the country’s disintegration.
Governor el-Rufai claimed this in a Vanguard-monitored interview on BBC Pidgin on Friday morning.

el-Rufai made the remarks in response to a query from a Nigerian who wondered why bandits and terrorists in the north are not dealt with with the same severity as agitators in the south.

“I was extremely delighted (when Nnamdi Kanu was detained) because he first skipped bail, jeopardizing his sureties,” el-Rufai said.

“Secondly, a person who incites violence by challenging a state’s sovereignty and authority; he refers to his own nation as a zoo.

“This should serve as a warning to all of these separatists who are questioning the Nigerian state’s authority.”

When asked if he would handle Boko Haram and bandits with the same zeal, he said, “No!” No! No, no, no! People are making apples-to-oranges comparisons.

“IPOB, a banned organization, is led by Nnamdi Kanu. He is easily recognized, always in contact, and everyone knows where he is.

“Take, for example, Boko Haram. Shekau was in hiding, and the military had been conducting a campaign to find him for the previous ten years.

“It’s not like Shekau was sitting in a hotel in Saudi Arabia, tweeting about Nigeria’s disintegration or ordering Boko Haram to assassinate Helen and Nasir el-Rufai.

“While Nnamdi Kanu is in one location, Shekau is engaged in guerilla warfare. The rebellion continues, and the federal government refuses to give up.

“In terms of bandits, they are not centralized under a single command. Who is the bandit’s leader? Who is the banditry equivalent of Nmandi Kanu?

“Bandits are nothing more than a loose confederation of criminals. For them, it’s all about the money. It is not the case that Nigeria must disband.

“I dare anyone to tell me who is the central leader of bandits in Kanu’s position.”