Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State yesterday told those accusing the federal government of giving preferential treatment to Northern bandits that there is no basis for comparison between such gunmen and the re-arrested leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Such critics, according to El-Rufai, are comparing apples to oranges.
It was gathered yesterday that the Department of State Security (DSS) which is holding Kanu is now investigating allegations that some state governors and senators from the Southeast were paying the IPOB leader for the purpose of enjoying the protection of his proscribed group.
Also yesterday the Kenyan government denied involvement in the arrest of Kanu, saying it does not want to be dragged into Nigeria’s internal affairs, while a US firm of lobbyists launched a campaign over his matter in Washington.
El-Rufai, speaking in an interview on Pidgin Service of the BBC, said Kanu’s case is different from that of Northern bandits because the IPOB leader “challenges the sovereignty and the authority of a state and incites violence; he refers to his own country as a zoo,” in contrast to the bandits who “are just collections of independent criminals. It is a business for them. It is not a case of Nigeria must break up.”
His words: “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.
“No! No! No! No! People are comparing apples to oranges.
“Nnamdi Kanu is the leader of IPOB, a proscribed organisation. He is identifiable, costably 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 Nmandi 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.”