"Buhari government is pampering bandits and terrorists but quickly silences activists" - SOKAPU

The Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) said the Buhari government is pampering bandits and terrorists, while it quickly silences activists in southern Nigeria.

The group made the claim today in a statement by its President, Jonathan Asake.

According the Asake, the Buhari government has shown that it is capable of defeating the terrorists and bandits killing and maiming its people in Kaduna State.

But he wondered why the government is only interested in silencing activists from the Southern region of the country such as Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra and Yoruba nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, more commonly called Sunday Igboho.

Asake said his people had seen “leaders of these Fulani bandits and kidnappers armed to the teeth and kitted in full military gears” taking photographs during negotiations with governors, and notable Islamic clerics such as Sheikh Ahmad Gumi.

He noted that while the Emir of Kajuru, Alhaji Alhassan Adamu, was rescued within 24 hours from bandits who abducted him, the students of Bethel Baptist High School were still in the den of bandits.

“As we are addressing you now, students of the Bethel Baptist High School who were kidnapped on July 5, 2021, are still in the den of their captors, three weeks after.

“It is tragic to note that while the government swung into action to rescue the Emir of Kajuru in less than 24 hours after his abduction, the government has refused to do anything to rescue these students that are still languishing in captivity, among hundreds of others.

“If they could trace Nnamdi Kanu to Kenya and blindfold him to Nigeria in June 2021; if they could trace Sunday Igboho to Cotonou and arrest him just a few days ago, and if they could smoke out the commander of Eastern Security Network, Ikonso, and later killed him in April 2021, then, it clearly shows that the government has enough capacity to deal with the situation.

“It is clear from the foregoing that the Nigerian government is only interested in combating activists or perceived criminals who hail from Southern and Middle Belt regions, while pampering terrorists in the North who have killed, maimed, looted large territories and destroyed more than any known group in the history of Nigeria.

“While we have seen leaders of these Fulani bandits and kidnappers armed to the teeth and kitted in full military gears and taking photos during negotiations with governors, notable Islamic cleric Sheikh Gumi and high profile government officials, the government has refused to bring them to justice.

“We find it strange to explain how the government is unwilling to tackle banditry and kidnappings in the North, but at the same time hasty in deploying full intelligence and military force against Southern and Middle Belt activists that are engaged in one form of agitation, criminality or otherwise.”