The Speaker of the House of Representatives, The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has made comparison between terror groups in the North to separatist groups in the southern part of the country, saying IPOB is South East's equivalent of Boko Haram.
The House speaker who seem to be particularly targeting IPOB, said every bit of activities of the separatist groups shows they share semblance with Boko Haram since they have a low tolerance for dissenting opinions or views.
He stated that government must add all separatists in the South to the list of concerns.
According to the Speaker, “In the South of Nigeria, East and West, miscreants and criminals masquerading as separationist activists have emerged to wreak havoc, take lives and commit economic sabotage against fellow Nigerians and against the state.”
Adding that, “their refusal to engage in debate, or to consider the possibility of dissenting opinions and alternative viewpoints, are no different from Boko Haram and ISWAP.”
He noted that Nigeria will deploy all available resources to end the insecurity in the country.
Similarly, renowned Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has said those agitating for Biafra and Oduduwa Republics are not different from the Boko Haram sect terrorists.
Speaking in an interview with BBC Pidgin on the insecurity situation in the country, Gumi said, “Look, let’s forget these useless youths. They’re no more different from these herdsmen.
“These people agitating for Ododuwa, Biafra or Arewa are all the same group of people with Boko Haram.
“So, all these youths that are making noise, whether Abubakar Shekau of Boko Haram, Nnamdi Kanu of IPOB and their Ododuwa counterpart, they are just a tiny minority of Nigerians using ethnic, archaic and retrogressive sentiments to destabilise the nation.
“Biafra is a nuisance just like Boko Haram. You think every northerner is a Boko Haram [militant]?
"If truly the Yorubas are agitating for Oduduwa, why are their leaders not talking about it? Why are Igbo leaders also not talking about Biafra?” he queried.
“What we expect is for Yoruba leaders and Igbo leaders to take care of their miscreants as we handle herdsmen and Boko Haram which are miscreants in the North. Every leader should take the words to their people. Only the miscreants are fuelling this,” he added.