Kaduna Abductions: Gumi Urges Government To Cooperate With Bandits, Says Banditry Now War Situation

Sheik Ahmad Gumi, a renowned Kaduna based Islamic scholar has once again urged President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to take to his advice by granting amnesty to bandits for them to lay down their arms.

Gumi stated this on Friday while reacting to the incessant abduction and killing of three students of Greenfield University, Kaduna by bandits who abducted them from their school.

According to him, he said the incident had underscored his position that bandits were now at war with the nation.

READ ALSO: Kaduna: Kidnappers Demand Ransom For Release Of Greenfield University Students

The cleric, who was involved in the process that led to the release of students abducted by bandits in Katsina and Niger states, said he was helpless in the case of Kaduna State because the state government had not shown any readiness to negotiate with the bandits.

Gumi, who is from Kaduna State, said the only way he could intervene as he did in Niger and Katsina states was for El-Rufai to reconsider his stance against negotiation with bandits.

READ ALSO: Obasanjo, Gumi Seek Special Courts For Bandits, Kidnappers

He said according to Punch, “The situation is becoming dire and I need the government’s support before I can do anything, and I think there is a great misunderstanding and poor reading of the situation on the ground. So, I’m really helpless; I don’t know what actually I can do as of now.”

Speaking on the students’ killing, Gumi said, “Honestly speaking, it is very unfortunate. There is an ethnic war going on, and I have been saying it. It is a war but if we don’t want to accept that it is a war, we will continue to suffer.

“You cannot predict the behaviour of people who are like that; this is the unfortunate thing and it is the common man that suffers.

READ ALSO: Kaduna Abduction: Negotiating With Bandits To Free 39 Students Attracts Prosecution – El-Rufai

"The way forward is for the government to listen to us because those people (bandits) are ready to listen to us. If the government will cooperate and listen to us, I think there will be peace but we are finding it difficult to get the government’s attention.”

Likening the situation to the Iran-Iraq war, Gumi added, “We are in a war situation. As we are talking now, they (military) are dropping bombs on them (bandits). You cannot protect your children and you are dropping bombs on the enemies!

“You remember the Iran-Iraq war when they were bombing Baghdad and Tehran and they didn’t care about the civilians. When young girls (and boys) are killed like that, you should know that it is not just criminality, it is beyond criminality, it is a war.”

“There is a lot we can offer but we need the government to cooperate,” Gumi added.