Renowned Kaduna-based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has continued to bewilder Nigerians with his open relationship with bandits and terrorists on the rampage in the North West
The religious leader had met with bandits on many occasions. He also maintains a communications link with them and has assumed the role of being their image launderer and chief spokesman.
On Tuesday, he urged the federal government not to take lightly the threat of the Ansaru terrorist gang that kidnapped students of Greenfield University, Kaduna.
Gumi, who stated this in an interview with Punch said the Central Bank of Nigeria should pay the N100m ransom being demanded by the kidnappers.
In a separate interview African Independent Television, Kakaaki, AIT on Tuesday, the cleric said he found out Boko Haram kidnapped students of Greenfield University, not bandits. that he came to the conclusion after he traced them.
Gumi further lamented that the Nigerian state has done many injustices to the bandits, and they do not lead any luxury life.
He said they use the ransom money to buy weapons because they’re under pressure to fight the government back.
“All these amounts of money they collect, they are buying weapons. Why do you buy weapons? They say they are under pressure to fight the government. The government that has been bombarding us with helicopters.
“So remove the pressure, the need for the money is there, when you go there you don’t see any luxurious life, they are living in huts, they have nothing, sometimes they drink from the stream.”
Gumi also blamed the government for not ameliorating the herdsmen’s plight, who he said, have gone through a lot of hardship.
“Not one kobo from Nigeria’s budget goes to them,” he said.
The wild statement took many aback, as they wondered how a renowned cleric would continue to openly associate with bandits.
Many Nigerians wonder why he has not been arrested and charged with being an accessory to terrorism, murder and kidnapping.
@fisayosoyombo No matter how he disguises it, this Gumi is a kidnap apologist. Otherwise, what’s “Bandits don’t live a luxury life; they live in huts; they have nothing; they drink from the stream”? The innocent people being kidnapped, do they all live in mansions? Do they have everything?
@DrOlufunmilayo Sheikh Gumi knows where bandits are. But the Nigerian Army doesn’t. Sheikh Gumi knows where bandits live and that they live in huts. But the Nigerian Army doesn’t know this. Sheikh Gumi knows the bandits drink from streams. But Nigerian Army doesn’t know. Isn’t God wonderful?
@firstladyship Sheikh Gumi is a serious threat to National Security. He knows the whereabout of the kidnapped Greenfield University Students. A detribalized government would have arrested this terrorist, a long time ago. The DSS is yet to pick him up, bcos he is doing the bidding of this regime
@Morris_Monye If our security agencies are serious people, if they have the fear of Jesus or Allah or whatever they believe in, an invitation and sit-down with Sheik Gumi will reveal the identity of these bandits and we end this nonsense mess.
But are they serious enough? I can’t sleep.
@chosensomto The DSS is pretending like Sheik Gumi is a fictional character.
@firstladyship While Sheikh Gumi is telling us to stop killing & bombarding his men, Lai Mohammed is telling us kidnapping & banditry are not federal offenses. So are they his village offenses? Just legalize everything, open the iron gates of Kirikiri & Kuje prisons. Let every criminal walk.
@UgwunnaEjikem I know many people have said it but tbh it’s absolutely disturbing. Why do we have Gumi whitewashing terrorists ON NATIONAL TV????? Now he’s telling FG to pay the 100M ransom “before it’s too late”. WTF! We might as well open an official Ministry of Banditry for him to run.
@OgbeniDipo I spent about 10 minutes listening to Sheikh Gumi on AIT yesterday. I was just shaking my head endlessly.
Herdsmen and bandits can kidnap and kill because the government hasn’t spent N1 on them? Jesus please help me control my tongue and my temper.
On AIT the interviewer asked Sheikh Gumi that ” if the bandits are under so much pressure why don’t they stop kidnapping?
He answered that “If they (bandits) leave banditry they won’t have a source for financing their WAR MACHINE” How this man is still free worries me
@FS_Yusuf_ Gumi is legit justifying the brigandage of those terrorists on a National TV!!??? What is happening!!?? Are we sleeping!!?? See… my head don scatter! Gumi is saying govt budget doesn’t cater for the bandits so the need for them to terrorize the Nation!?? This is fucking crazy
@jagganiyu DSS will never go after Sheikh Gumi, a man who seems to have so much Intel about the terrorists plaguing Nigeria but if it’s to bully peaceful protesters that’s when they show their strength.
@CACCOT1 Sheikh Gumi is officially the Bandits Advocate of Nigeria (BAN) while Isa Pantami is the Terrorists Adovacate of Nigeria (TAN).
