Politics

I advocate for bandits in national interest – Gumi

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The controversial Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, said on Sunday the unity of Nigeria was the primary reason for his often derided advocacy for bandits.

Gumi, who stated this in a chat with journalists, implored the Federal Government not to declare the bandits as terrorists over the fear of a possible increase in criminal activities in the country.

On his interaction with the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, on the nation’s insecurity, he said: “The National Security Adviser met with me. I spoke with him; in fact, I told him my view about the issue. So, he is in the picture.

“The top military commanders too, we had a meeting with them and they know, the governors, they know my stand.

Although they may have a different view about the issue, they all know my stand and I am doing it for the national interest. I am looking for a lasting solution that will seal the problem, not giving Panadol to somebody suffering from malaria. You know Panadol will suppress the fever but it will not kill the parasites.

“So, we want a real cure to the problem. That is why I think that what I have been advocating is relevant to some extent but there are some changes.

You know conflicts are dynamic, they can start with a word but by the time they end, they have completely taken a new dimension because there are interest groups, so many interest groups in Nigeria.

“They are taking sides. So, it’s going to be a big conflict if the interests are sustained more than what we have now.”

“I wouldn’t like the federal government to declare the bandits as terrorists because it will take a completely different dimension. What we are saying is that these people are hearing whatever we are saying in the bush.

They have everything, they listen. Usually, whatever we say in the papers is translated. We have this Muryar Arewa (Hausa newspaper), they listen to the Hausa radio because they understand Hausa; most of them understand Hausa. They listen to what is said by the government and this is one of the reasons I think we had problems in negotiating with them.”

Politics

Gumi warns, says declaring bandits terrorists will have consequences

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Kaduna based controversial Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has warned against declaration of bandits as terrorists, saying such action from government will come with a prize.

Ripples Nigeria had earlier reported that speakers of the 36 state Houses of Assembly in Nigeria on Saturday called on the Federal Government to declare bandits and kidnappers as terrorists, adding that kidnapping and banditry should be dealt with decisively.

The Speakers made the call after the National Assembly and Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai had made same demand.

Gumi while reacting to the calls in a statement titled, ‘Declaring Bandits As Terrorists Will Come With A Prize’, said the moment bandits are termed terrorists, the direct foreign Jihadist movements will set in in force.

This, he said may be found palatable and attractive by many teaming unemployed youths.

The statement read in part: “Nobody doubts that sentimentalism today overrides sensibility in our polity. For the sake of posterity, some people will have to speak out.

The acts the bandits are committing now in NW have gradually over time become tantamount to terrorism because wherever innocent people are fatal victims it’s pure terrorism. Yet, innocence these days is relative. We agreed if their children and women are also killed, they are guilty by association or collateral damage, so also the bandits may think the same way. It’s right for vigilantes to lynch Fulanis herdsmen or anyone that looks like them by profiling but wrong for the herdsmen to ransack villages in retribution. They are pushed to believe it is an existential war and in war, ethics are thrown to the winds.

“Yet again, the only helpful part that is against bandits is that no other than them are attracted to join them in the NW because of its ethnic tinge and coloration.

However, the moment they are termed Terrorist – Islamic for that matter, the direct foreign Jihadist movements will set in in force. And many teaming unemployed youths may find it palatable and attractive. Shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ plus AK47 against a ‘secular’ immoral society where impunity reigns are the magnet for extremists and downtrodden – the majority of our youth.

“Already these deadly terrorist groups are fighting for the soul of these bandits. This will give criminality a spiritual cover and remove the stigma of discrediting them with such crimes since now they are fighting a ‘Jihad’ as they will claim.

“In such a situation, does the larger society -as it is, has the moral high ground to fight back? This is the most probable consequence, the price of which is not worth it. Nothing stops the kinetic actions from going on without the controversy of semantics.”

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APC govs forum condemns Gumi’s amnesty appeal for bandits

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The appeal by a renowned Islamic cleric, Shiekh Ahmad Gumi for the Federal Government to grant amnesty to bandits continues to elicit strong reactions from political observers as the PGF has issued a rejoinder.

In its scathing critique issued on Friday, the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) via its Director-General, Dr. Salihu Lukman, queried the rationale behind the appeal of Gumi for the bandits calling it ‘a threat to national security.’

The statement issued by Lukman titled: “Nigerian democracy and challenges of nation-building,” also faulted Gumi’s comparison of bandits in the north with Niger Delta militants.

According to the PFG, the conditions which surrounded the amnesty granted to the Niger Delta militants differ from the bandits.

An excerpt from the statement reads, “All arms of the security agencies are fully mobilised and are working in a coordinated way to crush the bandits in Zamfara, Katsina, and Kaduna forests. Interestingly, however, some Nigerian leaders have dismissed the military campaign going on to crush the bandits.

“So-called media commentators, religious and other leaders have discredited decisions of government to shut down communication services, markets, etc. in the states where the military operations are taking place. A religious leader has already proclaimed that the military operations against the bandits will fail.

What a jaundiced view. Maybe Nigeria should return to the era when hundreds of millions meant for arms procurement to fight insurgency, banditry, and other criminality will be diverted and given to religious leaders for prayers.

“Instead of mobilising security agencies to fight the criminals, resources being deployed to fight insecurity in the country should be given to religious leaders to pray for the bandits to come back to their senses.

“This is perhaps what Sheikh Ahmad Gumi is preaching when he insists that government should grant amnesty to bandits in the North just the way the administration of late President Umaru Yar’Adua handled Niger Delta militants.

“Nigerians need to rise to the challenge of regulating the conduct of so-called leaders, including religious clerics.

“Nigerians cannot be facing the challenge of insecurity and some leaders are working to undermine the efforts of the government to crush the criminal elements responsible for all the pains citizens are going through, including the loss of lives of citizens.

“Anytime leaders dismiss actions of the government against bandits and insurgents, they embolden these criminals to continue with their nefarious activities.”

Politics

Gumi slams politicians for display of wealth at Buhari’s son’s wedding

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Northern Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has criticised politicians for their display of wealth amid the widespread poverty in the country during the wedding of President Muhammadu Buhari’s son, Yusuf, in Kano State.

Gumi, who stated this during a sermon at the Sultan Bello Mosque in Kaduna on Sunday, likened the politicians to bandits stating both have taken advantage of Nigerians to live life of opulence.

The cleric also wondered where they got all the money they displayed at the wedding, if not from the public purse.

Ripples Nigeria had reported that Yusuf Buhari married Zarah Bayero, the daughter of Emir of Bichi, Nasiru Bayero, at a grand ceremony held in Bichi, Kano State.

Dignitaries at the event included Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former President Goodluck Jonathan, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, serving and former governors, traditional rulers, as well as prominent personalities from within and outside the country.

Gumi also faulted Nigerian politicians for hiring private jets to attend the wedding.

“Umar bn Khattab once took 16 dinar, which is equivalent of N2,040,000 today, from the treasury as estacode to Hajj. After their return, Umar admitted to Abdallah that they wasted public funds. Somebody told me private jets in Nigeria were all hired for the wedding of Buhari’s son.

“Some people are in captivity in the bushes and cities. Hunger is everywhere. People are facing all manner of problems, yet politicians spent public funds on private jets,” he lamented.

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Video: DSS didn’t arrest me, I have government backing to meet bandits – Gumi

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Popular Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has denied that he was invited or arrested by the Department of State Security (DSS), adding that the government was aware of his rapport with the bandits in the forests.

News media platforms reported on Friday that the cleric was invited by the DSS after he alleged that security agents collaborate with bandits to engage in killing and kidnapping for ransom.

However, Gumi debunked the reports after Jumaat prayer at Sultan Bello Mosque in Kaduna State on Friday.

He said; “Nobody invited me for questioning or any arrest, I can say that categorically.

Since I ventured into the forest, I went there with full security, the police, with the knowledge of the DSS, traditional rulers, the Fulani leaders, I never went alone.”

Gumi added that all along he and government officials have been engaging the bandits and their is no cause for alarm from the public.

All along, I have been doing it with the government and there is no difference between us and the authority. So people should have their peace,” the cleric said.

Watch the video:

Politics

Omokri slams Gumi over comments exonerating herdsmen from criminality

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Reno Omokri, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, has issued a scathing critique of popular Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi over comments excusing bandits and herders of criminalities.

Omokri made this call via his Twitter handle on Thursday in response to comments by Gumi during an AriseTV interview.

In an interview with Arise TV, the Islamic cleric said: “The herdsmen are kidnapping children not to kill them but to get money; so how can you compare somebody who is killing our gallant men directly to somebody who is kidnapping children to make money and not to kill them. Look, we need some fairness in what we are doing.”

In his response, Omokri charged the security agencies to arrest the cleric over such a remark liable of setting ‘Nigeria on fire’.

In a tweet, Omokri wrote: “What is wrong with this man? Herdsmen don’t just abduct schoolchildren. Even if that is true (it is not), what is ‘only’ about that? Herdsmen have killed thousands of citizens in every Nigerian state. Gumi may set Nigeria on fire. How can he say this and walk free?”

His call aligns with that of many other Nigerians who have previously asserted that Gumi has to be arrested and questioned by the security agencies over his alliances with bandits.

Politics

Gumi replies Nigerian Army over alleged religious bias

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Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmed Gumi, on Tuesday, March 9, clarified his earlier statement accusing the Nigerian Army of religious bias.

Gumi stated that his earlier comments were misunderstood, blaming media reports for the misunderstanding.

According to the cleric, he had a good understanding of the Nigerian Army, adding that many things have not changed since he left the force.

In a clip, the Islamic scholar was seen telling the bandits that soldiers are divided into Muslims and non-Muslims.

However, the Nigerian Army cautioned Gumi against making divisive and disparaging utterances against the military institutions.

In his response, the army spokesman, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Yerima said the army did not deploy its troops along ethnic or religious lines as stated by the cleric during his interaction with bandits.

In his statement titled, ‘Nigerian Army does not deploy its troops along ethnic or religious lines,’ Yerima had admonished the cleric and other “opinion merchants”  to exercise restraint and  not drag the image and reputation of “one of the most reliable national institutions to disrepute.”

But Gumi said, “I saw the Army’s response. What I will say is that there is a misunderstanding in the issues. When I speak about the religious issue in the Army, I am not referring to today’s Army.

“The issue is from 2010-2015 when some people were in-charge and a lot of bad things happened.

It is during that time that there were bombings everywhere. It happened in Jaji and we lost a popular Muslim general. Even, I was saved by God because they planted a bomb for me,” Gumi told BBC while reacting to the Army’s response.

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