“Military Angered Bandits”: Gumi Exposes Army Tactics, Sends Message to Tinubu

• Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has again tackled the Nigerian military of being ‘too hard’ on bandits in the northern part of the country
• Gumi urged the federal government led by President Tinubu to treat bandits like Niger Delta militants and grant them amnesty
• The cleric insisted that only a non-kinetic approach can end Nigeria’s recurring abductions’ in the northern region

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, a controversial Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, said the Nigerian military has been hard on bandits with the approach it uses to win the war against banditry in the northern part of the country.

He said both the Army and Air Force troops have launched ground and air strikes that have killed the bandits’ families – wives and children – which have angered them, as they see it as a war, hence they reacted with new attacks and abductions.

The cleric made this assertion on Wednesday, March 20, while speaking on Twitter spaces organised by Daily Trust on Wednesday, March 20.

According to Gumi, it is only a non-kinetic approach that can halt the activities of bandits in the North.

“To them (military) they are fighting a war. Honestly, the military has been very hard on them, the Air Force is killing their families,” Gumi said.

FG should treat bandits like Niger Delta militants

Gumi made this statement days after he told the federal government that he is ready to negotiate with bandits for the release of 287 abducted schoolchildren from Kuriga Government Secondary and LEA Primary Schools in the Chikun LGA of Kaduna state.

Speaking further on Wednesday, the cleric added that the Niger-Delta region is relatively peaceful after the Nigerian government granted amnesty to militants and appointed their leaders, noting that the same method must be applied to bandits currently ravaging the country.

Gumi reveals what Tinubu should do

Gumi gave a similar occurrence of how former President Musa Yar’Adua gave amnesty to the oil-rich Niger-Delta militants which stopped the kidnapping of expatriates.

“And for me that has been in direct contact with them, in the presence of our authorities. I know you know that authorities are aware. Now, I know this can get to President Bola Tinubu to let him understand. Look a lot of Nigerians have been saying that we need a non-kinetic approach to this problem because it is socio-economic things in it. If you say you will use the military is like killing a fly with a hammer. It will just worsen it and cause a lot of collateral damage that is avoidable,” he added.

Gumi counters Nigerian govt over terrorism financiers

Meanwhile Sheik Ahmad Gumi said no Nigerian is financing terrorism as claimed by the federal government.

Gumi stated this while reacting to the recently released list of people linked to terrorism financing in Nigeria.

Speaking on Twitter spaces organised by Daily Trust on Wednesday, March 20, he said:

“No Nigerian will put his money into terrorism, we’re beyond that. These people are financing themselves by taking our children for ransom.”

Source: Legit.ng