The Minister of Information and Orientation, Mohammed Idris, revealed this while speaking to reporters at the State House, Abuja, on Monday.
The Nigerian government, under President Bola Tinubu, has summoned Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, regarding his remarks on the activities of bandits in the country.
Idris emphasized that Gumi is subject to the law and that the government has decided it is necessary to question him.
According to a report by SaharaReporters on March 21, Gumi suggested that the Niger-Delta region became relatively peaceful after the Nigerian government granted amnesty to militants. He advocated for a similar approach to be applied to the bandits currently causing havoc in the country.
Gumi observed that the Nigerian military had been harsh on bandits, using tactics similar to those employed in the fight against banditry in northern Nigeria. He mentioned that both the Army and Air Force had conducted ground and air strikes that resulted in the deaths of bandits' families, including wives and children, which infuriated the bandits and led them to perceive it as a war.
During a conversation on Daily Trust’s X Space titled, “When will there be an end to Nigeria’s recurring abductions?”, Gumi stressed the importance of socio-economic methods. He acknowledged the role of the military but emphasized the need for a primary non-kinetic approach, resorting to kinetic measures only if the former fails. Gumi highlighted that the non-kinetic approach provides better intelligence and understanding, which can enhance negotiation efforts.
Gumi, who has visited bandits in the forests several times to negotiate the release of hostages, drew a parallel between the current situation with bandits and the past amnesty granted to Niger-Delta militants by former President Musa Yar’Adua. He explained that just as militants disrupted oil pipelines, leading to Yar'Adua's amnesty, bandits are currently causing food insecurity by preventing farmers from working and abducting innocent people, including children and women, for ransom.