Governor of Kaduna State, Nasiru El-Rufai has said that bandits are different from Nnamdi Kanu.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Governor of Kaduna State, North-west, Nigeria Nasir El-Rufai, has given his opinion on how Boko Haram insurgents and bandits are different from the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and their leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
El-Rufai while speaking to BBC Pidgin, said that Boko Haram and bandits do not have a recognised and centralised leadership.
He said Kanu is a visible and central leader who has called for the dissolution of Nigeria.
El-Rufai was responding to questions from Nigerians on why bandits and terrorists in the North were not treated the same way agitators in the south are treated.
El-Rufai also expressed delight at the capture of Nnamdi Kanu.
“I was very happy when Nnamdi Kanu was arrested) because, first he jumped bail, jeopardising his sureties,” El-Rufai said.
“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.”
El-Rufai when asked about handling Boko Haram and bandits with the same swiftness, said: “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 equivanlent 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 ein the same position as Kanu.”
