I didn’t compare Yoruba agitators, IPOB with terrorists, says Speaker Gbajabiamila
By Samuel Ogunsona
The Speaker, House of Representatives Mr Femi Gbajabiamila has said that he did not compare Yoruba self determination agitators and members of Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, (IPOB) with Boko Haram and other terrorist groups.
In a statement made available to Irohinoodua and signed by Special Adviser Media and Publicity to the Speaker, House of Representatives, Lanre Lasisi, said the report was false.
He said “it has come to the attention of the Office of the Speaker, House of Representatives, that some media reports on Wednesday, September 15, claimed that the Speaker, in his welcome address to his colleagues at Wednesday’s plenary, purportedly said IPOB and Yoruba nation agitators are the same with Boko haram.”
He said in view of the impression created by the said reports, it has become necessary to clarify that the Speaker, in his speech, never mentioned any group.
“For the records, the Speaker said some miscreants and criminals are taking advantage of the separationist agitations to carry their activities, ” Gbajabiamila said.
He repeated what he said which he claimed was misquoted: “We must now add to these concerns an emerging threat that presents the same clear and present danger. In the South of Nigeria, East and West, miscreants, criminals, masquerading as separatist activists have emerged to wreak havoc, take lives and commit economic sabotage against fellow Nigerians and the state.
The Speaker said “These people, in their inclination for devastating violence against fellow citizens, their appetite for the destruction of private property, their disruption of academic activities, commerce, and industry, their propensity for defiling institutions of the state, society and community, 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. Given space and time, they will take our nation down the same path of destruction.”
He said frrom the above, there was nowhere that the Speaker mentioned the name of any group.
“What was conspicuous in the Speaker’s speech was the focus of the activities of miscreants and criminals and its effect on the country.
He said the Speaker never condemned secessionists or compared them to terrorists.
“As a matter of fact, the Speaker is not alone on the concern about an apparent emergence of a band of miscreants and criminals as different patriotic Nigerians have expressed similar concerns and even condemned the act of maiming, killing, destruction of property and other criminalities perpetrated by the masqueraders,” he said.