The Secretary-General of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Saleh Al-Hassan, has said his organisation has no connection with a suspected leader of a gang of Fulani bandits, Mohammed Isa, allegedly killed by the Easter Security Network after he was captured in Benue State.

Al-Hassan, though undeterred about the arrest and murder of Isa said to be notorious, as revealed by the Indigenous People of Biafra, he, however, questioned the authority of the group to carry out such an act.

He told SaharaReporters on Friday while responding to the statement by the IPOB that Isa had been handed over to his ancestors.

The IPOB spokesman had said on Thursday that, “We have made it open before now that we don’t spare terrorists.

“Mohammed Isa was captured by ESN Northern Command and handed over to God. We handed him over to God, to meet his ancestors.

“It is our resolve that any Fulani terrorists masquerading as herdsmen in our land if we catch you, we send you to God Chukwu Okike Abia

“ESN has no power to judge terrorists. Only God has the power to do so, (we are) therefore advising them to leave our lands, forests and farmlands.”

Reacting, Al-Hassan said, “How can you ask me about a bandit? Are we really bandits? No! If they said they killed our member, we would talk no matter the nomenclature they gave him. But, if they claimed to have killed a bandit, then the matter should be with the police.”

Al-Hassan in his response reiterated that the Fulani cattle herders in his organisation are not criminals, therefore would not be concerned with whatever punishment was meted out to criminal elements. He challenged the IPOB to release the corpse of the leader of the bandits to the police to know if he was truly killed.

He also condemned lawlessness in the country adding that it may jeopardise the peace of the law-abiding citizens.

“I don’t know. We keep on saying consistently, that these bandits are criminal elements. They are not members of our organisation. So, it must be stated very clearly, not ambiguously. Yes, if they have criminals, they should be treated as criminals.

“But, to even think that IPOB or ESN has killed somebody, either bandits or no bandits, are they lawful security agents? Who are they? Can’t they go and kill ‘Yahoo Yahoo’ (internet fraudsters) boys? Can’t they go and kill drug pushers that are destroying our image? You see, we must not be encouraging lawlessness because if we encourage lawlessness, I’m telling you this country is gone.

“See, every tribe is trying to raise a militia like that but is that what we want. There is a way we should help this country to get over its problems by giving stories that create unity and progress. If they killed him, are they keeping the corpse? They should give the corpse, at least, to the police now. Do they carry tags on their heads that I am a bandit?

“You see, all these things – lawlessness – that is given credibility is sad. It is not good for the country. I’m telling you; you see, I pity those people promoting that kind of statement because at the end of the day if there is a crisis, do you think anybody will benefit? We have Igbos in every nook and cranny of this country. So, it’s not good. We are trying to promote peace. You see, they keep on lumping things together. I think this is political, you people should investigate this.

“If the crude people are killing themselves in the villages, we the elite should help them because it is our responsibility to give them leadership.”

Source:- Sahara Reporters