Controversial Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has again called on the Federal Government to adopt a non-military approach in tackling insecurity, urging authorities to grant amnesty to armed bandits willing to surrender their weapons, similar to rehabilitation programmes offered to repentant Boko Haram fighters.
Gumi made the remarks during a press briefing at his Kaduna residence on Monday, where he argued that nearly two decades of military offensives against insurgents and bandits have failed to deliver lasting peace across Nigeria’s troubled northern region.
According to the cleric, the Federal Government should rethink its strategy by embracing dialogue, rehabilitation and reintegration rather than relying solely on force.
“If the kinetic approach is not working for 17 years, why don’t we change the approach?” Gumi was quoted as saying during the briefing.
He maintained that some armed groups operating in forests across the North had indicated willingness to surrender if guaranteed protection from arrest, retaliation or extrajudicial treatment after laying down their arms.
Gumi also criticised previous negotiations conducted by some state governments, particularly in the North-West, saying authorities merely paid off armed groups without implementing proper deradicalisation and reintegration measures.
The Islamic scholar proposed a broader strategy involving education, social rehabilitation and relocation of bandits from forest hideouts, including enrolling their children in schools and creating pathways for reintegration into society.
His comments have already sparked renewed public debate over Nigeria’s handling of insecurity and the controversial rehabilitation programmes previously extended to repentant Boko Haram members.
Nigeria’s government has in recent years implemented deradicalisation and reintegration initiatives for former Boko Haram fighters who surrendered during counter-insurgency operations in the North-East. The programmes, however, have drawn criticism from victims’ groups and civil society organisations who argue that survivors of terrorism often receive less attention than former insurgents.
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During the briefing, Gumi also denied allegations linking him to terrorism or support for violent groups, insisting that his engagements with armed groups were aimed strictly at peacebuilding and conflict resolution.
“I hereby state unequivocally that any statement suggesting support for banditry or terrorism does not emanate from me,” he said.
The cleric has long been a controversial figure in Nigeria’s security discourse due to his repeated advocacy for negotiations with bandits and kidnappers operating across parts of the North-West and North-Central regions. Over the years, he has visited several bandit camps and participated in mediation efforts aimed at securing the release of abducted victims and persuading armed groups to disarm.
Critics, however, argue that granting amnesty to violent criminal groups could embolden further attacks and undermine justice for thousands of victims affected by killings, kidnappings and displacement linked to banditry and insurgency across the country.
