Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has defended armed bandits in northern Nigeria, describing their actions as acts of revenge rather than unprovoked violence.
During an interview on Trust TV, Gumi argued that the bandits and Fulani herdsmen resort to violence only in response to grievances and injustices they have suffered, emphasizing that their attacks are not random.
“They don’t just attack people without any cause,” he stated, adding that Fulani herdsmen have historically lived peacefully with other ethnic groups.
Gumi cited an instance where former Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda led a delegation to meet over 5,000 bandits in the bush, many of whom shared stories of personal losses and hostility.
While acknowledging that the killings carried out by the bandits are “wrong and obnoxious,” he maintained that their actions are driven by a desire for revenge rather than sheer brutality.
“If you know their psychology, they are on a revenge mission,” he explained.
A long-time advocate of dialogue and amnesty for bandits, Gumi urged President Bola Tinubu’s administration to prioritize reconciliation and rehabilitation over military offensives.
“The government needs to bring them together in a unified and holistic manner so that there is peace. They are ready for that, because if you call them for peace, they come,” he said.
In a controversial comparison, Gumi contrasted the bandits with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), accusing IPOB of rejecting dialogue and pursuing secession.
He described IPOB as “secessionists and terrorists,” while characterizing the bandits as non-secessionists who are open to peace.
“These people want peace, unlike IPOB, who are focused on creating a separate state,” Gumi claimed.