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We Are Depending On Gumi To Tackle Insecurity, Says FG
The federal government has said Ahmad Gumi, Islamic cleric, is playing a pivotal in addressing the perennial security woes that ravage the country, especially the north.
Babagana Monguno, national security adviser (NSA), disclosed this on Thursday during a state state house briefing on.
Gumi who has been been interfacing between government and suspected bandits who are wreaking havoc in communities in the north-west and in the north-central.
Gumi had on many occasions justified the actions of the bandits, calling them victims of circumstances. He also opined that the bandits should not be labelled criminals, adding that they deserve amnesty as there’s no difference between them and militants in the Niger-Delta.
Fielding questions from journalists, Monguno said he had met with Gumi, and that he is waiting to see how the cleric could help the government.
“Sheik Gumi is doing what he’s doing because he believes in what he’s doing. He’s a Nigerian and under the constitution he can talk to anybody. He can deal with anybody,” he said.
“I met with him when I went with the service chiefs to Kaduna, and we spoke generally during the meeting and he resolved to help government. We are waiting for him. That’s all I can say.”
The NSA said the government was not against dialoguing with bandits, but that it cannot negotiate with erratic people.
“While government is not averse to talking with these entities, it also has to fully apply its weight. You can’t negotiate with people who are unreliable and who will continue to hurt society,” he said.
“We will apply the full weight of the government to deal with these criminals.
“These are not people looking for anything that is genuine or legitimate, they’re just out to take calculated measures to inflict pain and violence on innocent people. We must deal with them the way they need to be dealt with. We will fully assert the government’s will.”
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