Gumi: IPOB kills security agents — but herdsmen only kidnap children for money

Ahmad Gumi, Islamic cleric, says it is unfair to compare the activities of criminal herdsmen with those of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The cleric, who is known to have access to bandits, said herdsmen’s crimes weigh significantly less than those of IPOB.

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”.

“IPOB is attacking the police, the army, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other government institutions; killing our men in service,” he 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.”

Bandits have kidnapped over 800 schoolchildren across the north since December 2020.

The security challenge has led to the death of several students, notably the killing of five Greenfield University students.

Since IPOB launched its militia arm called Eastern Security Network (ESN) a few months ago, attacks on security operatives and government infrastructure have surged. A number of security operatives have been killed by the militia.