Prominent and controversial Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has expressed his views on the Nigerian military’s strategy in combating banditry in the northern region of the country.
Gumi, who spoke during a recent X space organized by Daily Trust, said that the military’s approach, which includes ground and air strikes by both the Army and Air Force, has resulted in the unfortunate loss of lives, including those of the bandits’ families.
According to him, these attacks have further fueled the bandits’ anger and perception of the situation as a full-fledged war.
Speaking on the topic of ending Nigeria’s recurring abductions, Sheikh Gumi emphasized the need for a non-kinetic approach to effectively address the activities of bandits in the North.
Gumi, who has engaged with bandits in the forests on multiple occasions to discuss the release of hostages, drew a parallel to former President Musa Yar’Adua granting amnesty to the Niger-Delta militants, which effectively halted the abduction of foreign workers.
The cleric pointed out that just as militants sabotaged oil pipelines in the past, bandits are now disrupting farming activities, leading to food shortages, and kidnapping innocent individuals for ransom
