Former Chairman of the Bandits Prosecution Committee, Abdullahi Shinkafi, has openly criticised the three separate visits made by an Islamic cleric to feared bandit kingpin Bello Turji, describing them as a major setback to the nation’s fight against insecurity. He insisted that such meetings have no basis in Islamic teachings and only weaken ongoing military efforts.
In an interview with Arise TV, Shinkafi stated that both the Qur’an and Hadith contain no guidance or endorsement for negotiating with armed criminals.
According to him, holding peace talks with individuals terrorising communities contradicts the principles of justice in Islam.
He said it was deeply concerning that religious leaders could travel freely to Turji’s stronghold while the government maintains it is conducting aggressive operations to capture him.
Shinkafi further pointed out that this ease of access exposes a gap in security intelligence and undermines the credibility of the armed forces.
He noted that the Chief of Defence Staff had repeatedly assured Nigerians that Turji’s days were numbered, while the Minister of Defence had openly vowed to bring him down. In Shinkafi’s view, these assurances have now lost weight following the cleric’s visits.
The controversy intensified when Islamic scholar Musa Yusuf, popularly known as Asadus Sunnah, disclosed that Turji released 32 kidnapped victims after their negotiations.
Yusuf claimed that residents of Shinkafi approached him to seek Turji’s permission to access farmlands within territories under the bandit’s control.
According to Yusuf, the peace talks were held inside the Fakai forest during three different meetings, a fact that raises questions over the supposed military blockade of the area.
The revelation has sparked fresh debates about whether such engagements help secure peace or simply embolden criminal networks.
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