A former Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, has said the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) share similarities with insurgent group, Boko Haram.

He added that both the OPC and IPOB were making attempts to plunge the nation into ethnic war.

Speaking on Friday in Abuja, at the inauguration of Army War College Nigeria Course 5/2021, the ex-Chief of Army Staff, said both groups were exhibiting features similar to that of Boko Haram when the insurgent group started out in 2009.

He stated that all three groups operate on the platform of extremism alongside secessionist threats.

The ex-minister stated, “We see parallels between BH, a religious extreme group and the IPOB and OPC, both ethnic extremist groups. All the three groups operate on the platform of extremism.”

“They are all non-state actors; they all have separatist agenda to carve out states out of Nigeria’s territory; they all do not believe in the Nigerian project, its unity and peaceful co-existence just like BH.”

Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru, expressed optimism the training will equip the participants with requisite experience plan and execute military operations.