The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has said that popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has been bending over backwards to demonise the group so as to give the impression that it is a killer group like Boko Haram, killer herdsmen and bandits terrorising the North.
IPOB said it was “total madness” for anyone to compare the group to bandits.
The group stated this in a Sunday statement signed by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful in reaction to Sheikh Gumi’s assertion that the recent declaration of bandits as terrorists by a Federal High Court was as meaningful as the proscription of IPOB.
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However, in its statement titled, “It is madness to compare IPOB with bandits, Sheikh Gumi, should tread with caution,” IPOB said that the attention of the Nnamdi Kanu-led group was drawn “to the ranting by a once-respected Nigerian who has turned to bandits advocate”.
“The supposedly respected Muslim cleric Sheikh Gumi has mischievously placed agents of death and mass murderers like Boko Haram, killer herdsmen and bandits terrorising the North at par with peaceful IPOB members. This is not only sacrilegious but insanity taken too far.
“In case Gumi has forgotten, Fulani bandits and herdsmen are already designated the fourth deadliest terror organisation in the world.
“However, IPOB as a peaceful movement maintains its presence in over 100 countries of the world without any molestation. It is only in Nigeria that Gumi and his likes will liken IPOB to a terror group that it is not. What a blackmail!
“Gumi should hide his face in shame for his open support for mass murderers, while on the order hand claiming to be an Islamic cleric. It is because of people like him that bandits and terrorists keep spilling blood across the country because they know he will always make a case for them.
“Were Nigeria to be a sane society, Gumi and his types should have been serving their jail terms for their unhidden sympathy for terrorists. We believe that definitely one day he and his likes will have to tell the world all they know about bandits and terrorists and how much that passed through them to the mass murderers as ransom.
“Can Gumi be honest to tell the world if IPOB has kidnapped anybody at any time and demanded ransom for him to liken us with bandits? Can he swear by Allah that IPOB has carried out any terror attack against anybody at any time? IPOB remains a peaceful movement with the mandate of restoring the Sovereign State of Biafra. We believe in peaceful restoration of Biafra and our philosophy has not changed.
“Sheikh Gumi should tread with caution. The world is watching him for hobnobbing with bandits and terrorists. He should stop deceiving himself, the world already knows who he is working for, and whose interest he defends. Sheikh Gumi, tell us your friend, and we will tell you who you are! An advocate of bandits can’t claim to be a true Islamic cleric or scholar.”