Controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has outlined conditions under which he would support the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), as well as bandits and members of Boko Haram operating in Nigeria.
Gumi said he would be willing to support the groups if they agree to lay down their arms and embrace dialogue with the Nigerian government.
Speaking in an interview with DRTV, the cleric stated that the groups must be ready to come to the negotiating table and pursue peaceful discussions with the government before they can receive his support.
“Dialogue can bring peace and we are men of peace. Even IPOB, which was once into secession, may be ready to put down their arms and come to a round table to discuss. I’m ready and would support them. All we don’t want is violence,” he said.
Gumi added that mistrust between citizens and the government has worsened the country’s security challenges.
“So when government says don’t do something that is different, it may not do it, and when government says it’s not doing something, it may be doing it. People have mistrust not only of the Nigerian government,” he said.
He also stressed the need for broader strategies to address insecurity in the country, noting that security solutions should not rely solely on military force.
“What we are saying is: what is the way out of insecurity? Let’s bring intellectuals to speak. What are the experts saying now in dealing with the situation in Nigeria? Some 50% of it should be non-kinetic,” Gumi stated.
The cleric further pointed to poor infrastructure and governance challenges, including bad road networks, unstable electricity supply, inadequate healthcare services and declining education standards, as factors worsening the country’s security situation.
