Why I Stopped Negotiating With Bandits — Sheikh Gumi

A Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has said he
stopped negotiating with the bandits terrorising the state because
the state government was not interested in such move.

Speaking with SaharaReporters on Thursday, Mr Gumi’s media aide,
Salisu Hassan, said the cleric halted his plans to respect the
decision of the state government.

Mr Hassan said: “No, it is not that Sheikh is busy. The problem
is that since the government is not interested in reconciling with
those people.

“So, Sheikh just tried to have some other way so that he can
achieve his goals. The Kaduna State government said they are not
interested in negotiations.”

Recall that Mr Gumi had crisscrossed many forests in the
Northwest to meet bandit groups to preach for them, a move Governor
Nasir El-Rufai frowned at.

The governor had also declared that the state government would
not engage the criminals in any form of negotiations, insisting
that these bandits deserve to be killed, not offered an olive
branch.

Speaking during the presentation of the state’s 2020 Annual
Security Report in Kaduna, Mr El-Rufai said not only negotiation,
the state government would also not grant any amnesty to the
criminals terrorising his state.

Mr El-Rufai stressed that bandits, cattle rustlers and armed
militias must be degraded and decimated “to a state of
unconditional submission to constituted authority”.

According to him, these criminals must be wiped out immediately
and without hesitation.

He said: “Our position in Kaduna State has been clear,
unequivocal and consistent. Bandits, cattle rustlers and armed
militias must be degraded and decimated to a state of unconditional
submission to constituted authority.

“We will neither negotiate with criminals of any description nor
support any grant of amnesty.

“Criminal gangs, bandits, insurgents and ethno-religious
militias made a conscious choice to challenge Nigeria’s sovereignty
and menace our citizens. These criminals must be wiped out
immediately and without hesitation.”

The governor also lauded the recent directive given by President
Muhammadu Buhari to the federal security agencies to wipe out
gun-wielding criminals.

He, therefore, stressed the need to further empower the security
sector to defeat the criminals, including providing the additional
funds, the armament technology and the required personnel.

“I am further encouraged by the stance of Federal Government in
my periodic interactions with President Muhammadu Buhari and
Nigeria Governors Forum, that there is near unanimity and broad
consensus on the part of the national and sub-national political
leadership – the President and the State Governors – on this course
of action.

“We therefore need to further empower the security sector to
defeat the criminals, including providing the additional funds, the
armament technology and the required personnel.

“This national consensus to eliminate all forms of insecurity
must be operationalized immediately. Our people face deadly perils
daily.

“Converting this national consensus into decisions and actions
in support of our armed forces, police and other security agencies
with human and material resources cannot wait.”

A Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has said he
stopped negotiating with the bandits terrorising the state because
the state government was not interested in such move.

Speaking with SaharaReporters on Thursday, Mr Gumi’s media aide,
Salisu Hassan, said the cleric halted his plans to respect the
decision of the state government.

Mr Hassan said: “No, it is not that Sheikh is busy. The problem
is that since the government is not interested in reconciling with
those people.

“So, Sheikh just tried to have some other way so that he can
achieve his goals. The Kaduna State government said they are not
interested in negotiations.”

Recall that Mr Gumi had crisscrossed many forests in the
Northwest to meet bandit groups to preach for them, a move Governor
Nasir El-Rufai frowned at.

The governor had also declared that the state government would
not engage the criminals in any form of negotiations, insisting
that these bandits deserve to be killed, not offered an olive
branch.

Speaking during the presentation of the state’s 2020 Annual
Security Report in Kaduna, Mr El-Rufai said not only negotiation,
the state government would also not grant any amnesty to the
criminals terrorising his state.

Mr El-Rufai stressed that bandits, cattle rustlers and armed
militias must be degraded and decimated “to a state of
unconditional submission to constituted authority”.

According to him, these criminals must be wiped out immediately
and without hesitation.

He said: “Our position in Kaduna State has been clear,
unequivocal and consistent. Bandits, cattle rustlers and armed
militias must be degraded and decimated to a state of unconditional
submission to constituted authority.

“We will neither negotiate with criminals of any description nor
support any grant of amnesty.

“Criminal gangs, bandits, insurgents and ethno-religious
militias made a conscious choice to challenge Nigeria’s sovereignty
and menace our citizens. These criminals must be wiped out
immediately and without hesitation.”

The governor also lauded the recent directive given by President
Muhammadu Buhari to the federal security agencies to wipe out
gun-wielding criminals.

He, therefore, stressed the need to further empower the security
sector to defeat the criminals, including providing the additional
funds, the armament technology and the required personnel.

“I am further encouraged by the stance of Federal Government in
my periodic interactions with President Muhammadu Buhari and
Nigeria Governors Forum, that there is near unanimity and broad
consensus on the part of the national and sub-national political
leadership – the President and the State Governors – on this course
of action.

“We therefore need to further empower the security sector to
defeat the criminals, including providing the additional funds, the
armament technology and the required personnel.

“This national consensus to eliminate all forms of insecurity
must be operationalized immediately. Our people face deadly perils
daily.

“Converting this national consensus into decisions and actions
in support of our armed forces, police and other security agencies
with human and material resources cannot wait.”