Gumi Blames Nigerian Government for Failure to Negotiate with Bandits

Controversial Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has stated that he and other religious leaders can no longer negotiate with bandits.

Gumi criticized the Nigerian government's decision to classify bandits as terrorists.

The scholar, who has previously visited bandit hideouts, made the remarks in a viral video.

He said: “We don’t want to push them into terror beyond what they are doing now because it can get worse.”

“They have shown us their willingness to negotiate, so people that are ready to negotiate, why are you rushing to declare them bandits so that you can use whatever weapons you bought.”

“Before they used to catch Boko Haram and present them to the authorities in Zamfara, but now they are all terrorists.”

“Secondly, the only door that is remaining is for us clergy to go in and negotiate with them, that is closed permanently.”