According to a report by The Punch on Sunday, November 16, 2025, islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi has strongly defended his role in negotiating with armed bandits, insisting that his efforts were aimed at reducing violence and restoring peace across rural communities. His response followed renewed calls from critics demanding his arrest over his public stance on dialogue with bandit groups.
The cleric, who has for years engaged with armed groups in the Northwest, maintained that he has committed no offence by interfacing with the gunmen. He described those calling for his arrest as individuals driven by sentiment and intolerance for differing views.
Gumi argued that his critics have ignored the scale of his interventions, including a major outreach in January 2021 in Sabon Garin Yadi forest, Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State. He said the initiative was carried out with full knowledge of security authorities and was led alongside the then Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, who represented the Inspector-General of Police. He said the 2021 mission brought together more than 600 armed bandits and their commanders in an effort to encourage surrender, dialogue and an end to attacks on rural communities. According to him, the gunmen agreed to cease hostilities on the condition that the government would provide basic amenities, ensure their safety and prevent arbitrary arrests.
Gumi said the initiative collapsed because none of the conditions presented by the armed groups were implemented. He argued that instead of questioning why authorities failed to act, some Nigerians have chosen to target him personally. The cleric insisted that his actions were legitimate and transparent, stressing that his objective was to open a path for de-escalation in regions devastated by violence. He questioned why advocating dialogue should attract threats, warning that silencing alternative approaches only deepens insecurity. “The outcome was that over 600 bandits agreed to lay down their arms. They presented conditions to the government… None fulfilled”, he said.
He maintained that discussing complex national challenges should not be criminalised and urged Nigerians to focus on strategies that address the roots of insurgency and rural banditry. He added that dismissing dialogue as an option ignores the socioeconomic triggers that have fuelled the crisis. Gumi concluded by calling for tolerance and unity, warning that emotional reactions and divisive narratives obstruct efforts to resolve the nation’s security challenges. View, More,
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