Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, in a revealing interview on Nigeria Info FM, stated that security forces are aware of the hideouts used by bandits in the northern regions of Nigeria.
Gumi, known for his controversial views, disclosed that these agents had accompanied him on missions to negotiate with the bandits, suggesting an intricate knowledge of their operations and locations.
During the discussion, Gumi emphasized the necessity of negotiation with the perpetrators behind the recent abduction of approximately 287 students from Kuriga Government Secondary and LEA Primary Schools in the Chikun Local Government Area, Kaduna State.
He proposed that negotiation could lead to a safe return of the captives without necessarily involving financial transactions, hinting at potential prisoner swaps.
Gumi portrayed the bandits as marginalized citizens deprived of basic social services like education, infrastructure, and water.
He suggested that their criminal activities stemmed from these unaddressed grievances and advocated for a government amnesty program akin to what was implemented in the Niger Delta region, aiming to quell the rising tide of insecurity in the North.
He said, “I don’t think they (security agents) are truthful with you. When I go, I go with them; I don’t go alone.”
Speaking on the identities of the bandits, Gumi said they are mainly herdsmen, who are largely Nigerians with few foreigners.
