Separatists Are Terrorists, No Preferential Treatment With Bandits – FG

The Federal Government has clarified that bandits and other separatist groups are being treated the same way, saying there was no preferential treatment between the two.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed made the clarification in Abuja.

The minister said the notion that the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) were not treated harder by security forces was misleading and erroneous.

He reiterated that the government will not stop applying necessary measures to protect its territorial integrity.

He added that the military will be used to prevent any criminal group from undermining its peace.

He said that, “We noticed that of recent, there is this misinformation as regards the way the Federal Government, especially the military, is handling the issue of banditry and terrorism.

“There is this misconception that the Federal Government is softer on the terrorists in the North-east and the bandits from the North-west and the way they handle separatists and other criminals from the South-east and South-west.

“I want to say without any hesitation that this is a fallacy. It is a misrepresentation, misinformation and fake news all rolled into one.

“The truth of the matter is that the Federal Government does not make a distinction between terrorists and bandits.

” As far as the Federal Government is concerned they are all criminals and they are treated the same way.

“It is very important to set the record straight. Why do I say this? Because, it is a continuation of the destructive rhetoric of some commentators."

He further noted the sensitivity of security issues while urging that politics should be left out of issues like this.

He stated that, “The issue of security must not be politicised. Security is security. Bandits kill soldiers; they kill policemen and innocent people.

“So, why will the military be softer on one set of criminals than the other?

He further added that the government is committed to the peace process in motion while working hard to tackle banditry, kidnapping and activities of criminal groups.