The Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, has pointed accusing fingers at some unpatriotic elements in places of Authority as the key sponsors of bandits currently ravaging Nigeria.
According to the pro-Biafra movement, there is no end in sight yet to the menace until the “masterminds in high places are unmasked”.
IPOB in a press statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary Emma Powerful alleged that banditry had become a gold mine for some powerful individuals in high places.
“We the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB have observed with utter bewilderment that banditry has become a gold mine for some leaders.
“It’s now another oil well for greedy, unpatriotic and evil-minded beings masquerading as leaders. They are feeding fat with blood money.
“Bandits are now working together with some Government officials to steal public funds in the name of Ransome.
” Banditry and kidnapping will remain a lucrative business in Nigeria for as long as Government and self-acclaimed religious clerics keep negotiating with them.
“Don’t you think that anyone advocating amnesty for murderous vampires like Fulani bandits in their grandmaster?
” If Nigeria were to be a normal country where there are sanity and decency all those people championing for amnesty for the killer bandits would have been arrested and put on trial?
On how the menace will end, IPOB said:” Banditary will stop any day Nigeria leaders stopped pampering bandits but treat them as terrorists that they are.
“This nonsense called banditry has continued to surge because Nigerians are not asking the right questions.
“Banditry will end any day Nigerians begin to ask why the Authorities have not been courageous enough to declare killer herdsmen terrorists but quick to proscribe IPOB that is peacefully agitating for freedom.
“Banditry will stop any day the real bandits in places of Authority are unmasked! Otherwise, what you see now will be a child’s play to what is to come.”
On the recent shoot-on-sight order by the President against unauthorised persons carrying guns, IPOB said: “It wasn’t meant for everybody.”
“We know who they have in mind. It’s only the daft that will think that such an order is meant for Fulani bandits and killer herdsmen carrying out the Fulani agenda.
” If a serving Governor can boldly come out to defend the carrying of guns by Fulani herdsmen, how do you ever think any of them is going to be arrested when their kits and kin are the ones going to enforce the order?”