By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has described as shameful a statement by Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, where he made a comparison between IPOB, Fulani terrorists and bandits rampaging Southern Kaduna.

The group described the comparison as “not only provocative but a mischievous display of ignorance on the part of Kaduna State Governor to compare freedom seekers with blood-thirsty terrorists.”

IPOB in a statement issued on Wednesday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said: “El Rufai should stop playing to the gallery. No amount of cover-ups can exonerate him from the ongoing genocide in Southern Kaduna by Fulani bandits.

“He should cover his head in shame for admitting that he is paying the mass murderers in Kaduna State. He should know that he has a date at the ICC.

“Malam El Rufai should swear by Allah that he knows nothing about the ongoing ethnic cleansing of non-Fulani communities in Southern Kaduna and re-naming of their towns to Fulani communities.

“It’s only in Nigeria that IPOB which maintains presence in over 100 countries can be tagged a terror organisation. But the world knows we are not terrorists and don’t intend to be.”

IPOB challenged the governor to mention any act of terror committed by IPOB.

According to the group, “The only crime IPOB committed against El Rufai and his fellow is that we refused to allow Fulani bandits any breeding ground in Biafra land.”