By Akinwale Kasali
Islamic spiritual leader, Sheik Abubakar Gumi, has been faulted on his claims that “Freedom Fighters” in the South -east and South-west are the same as terrorists and rogue herdsmen operating across the country.
In a statement on Sunday, February 5th, 2021, signed by Col (rtd) Abimbola Sowumi and Ahmed Akorede, the Pan Yoruba coalition, Apapo O’odua Koya, (AOKOYA) said the Sheik deliberately distorted facts in other to suit his primordial ethnic interests.
The group said it now understands why Gumi did not, at any time, codemn the wanton killings, assassinations, rape and murder unleashed by his people on indigenous communities.
After meeting with some over 600 armed bandits, kidnappers and terrorists in Zamfara, Gumi said the Oodua, Igbo groups agitating for self determination are the same as armed herdsmen, terrorists and kidnappers.
AOKOYA said “It’s a shame that Sheik Gumi is comparing self determination with terrorists and violent hersmen. This is a dirty game he has adopted. He should know that terrorists kill in their bid to violently subvert the land and faith of others while self determination groups are only responding to threats of extinction brought by the terrorist groups.
AOKOYA said the demands of IPOB and Yoruba self determination groups have been submitted and acknowledged by the United Nations, ECOWAS and Africa Union wondering what international bodies support violent herdsmen and terrorists.
“To link terrorism with self determination is mischief and a veiled plot to distract local and international community from the plot by the terrorists and herdsmen to rule Nigeria through violence and terror.”
AOKOYA said the fact that Gumi enjoys the goodwill and measure of respect from murderers and spineless criminals who rape and kill indiscriminately showed the whole world deep concern about Gumi’s taste for extremism. His statement suggests that Gumi as, also, spiritual head of terrorism in Nigeria is faslely parading himself as a Clergyman.
The group said Sheik Gumi is unhappy that Igbo and Yoruba are resisting the violence imposed on them by the terrorists.
“The difference is clear. Terrorists and herdsmen adopt violence, murder, rape and savage killings which includes dismemberment of bodies of their victims. Herdsmen and terrorists adopt suicide bombing. They want to introduce a theocratic state in a plural country like Nigeria. They are also imposing their brand of faith on indigenous peoples. They profess to conquer and subdue lands that do not support them. They operate outside their own traditional homeland. They are heavily armed. It is the height of dishonesty for anyone to draw any parallel lesson between heavily armed criminal herdsmen and those agitating for self determination.
“Gumi is very dishonest He is hiding under illusion to defend his own people who are globally acknowledged perpetrators of violence. He went to meet armed terrorists and bandists.He dined and wined with them. This means he was their respected leader. He and the Federal Government know them. They are not interested in dislodging them. Infact they are protecting them.”
AOKOYA said “Sheik Gumi is comparing Sunday Adeyemo, Nnamdi Kanu with Shekarau, whose Boko Haram has murdered more than 10,000 people. It shows how unGodly Sheik Gumi is. He is a fraud, a supporter of criminals, an ethnic chauvinist who receives inglorious trophy from blood sucking rogues and murderers”
AOKOYA said “the simple logic is this, why can’t Shekarau visit the United Nations as Kanu does? Why can’t Shekarau visit UK and Europe the way Sunday Adeyemo does? Shekarau has no fixed address and his trademark is indiscriminate violence. Igboho and Kanu have never been associated with any violence except to mobilise their people against armed invaders who are thirsty for human blood and whose mission is to conquer Nigerians by force.
“IPOB and O’odua groups are only armed with ideas while Gumi’s adopted children are armed with, sub machine guns and rocket propelled grenades.”
The group said the failure of the Nigerian state to protect indigenous peoples is pushing many indigenous peoples to arm themselves so that they will not perish.
It said Gumi is desperate to cover up the atrocities of the terrorists who have painted the Nigerian landscape red with human blood.
“With the statement credited to Sheik Gumi, he is an accomplice to murder and genocide. He wants to change the narrative of the nature and form of the conflict in Nigeria. The Yoruba and the world are not deceived by his dirty antics”, the statement ended.
