A former Chief of Army Staff, Abdurahman Dambazau has been fingered as one of those sponsoring bandits in the country.

The revelation was made by the Oodua Peoples Congress after Dambazau compared them and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to Boko Haram.

Dambazzau had said on Saturday that the separatist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) should be treated like terrorist group, Boko Haram.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Army War College Nigeria Course in Abuja, Dambazzau said that some sects, such as the Boko Haram group, do not believe in Nigeria’s unity.

In a statement released by OPC’s Publicity Secretary, Yinka Oguntimehin, the former Army Chief was suffering from “acute dementia and steadily losing contact with the reality of the moment”.

Furthermore, the OPC said Dambazau and four top Northern leaders in 2014 before the general elections, were behind the recruitment of bandits into the country.

“Dambazau’s statement that OPC and IPOB are very much the same as the dreaded Boko Haram was made in bad faith. Such statements raise questions about his intentions, interests and morality as a former COAS that has been supporting bandits financially and technically.

“This same former chief of army staff, together with four top Northern leaders had in 2014, before the general elections organised the recruitment of bandits into the country.

“Moreso, when he became the Minister of Interior under President Buhari, he pleaded that the Federal Government raise over N800 billion to settle the bandits; a request that was opposed by Nigerians.

“However, for such a person to say OPC is the same as Boko Haram, is not only demeaning but also most unfortunate to say the least.

“The ex-minister is not in his right frame of mind and should have never been trusted with the fight against insurgency,” the statement said.