Gumi rejects allegations of backing outlawed groups, advocates for strategy beyond armed force

Renowned Islamic cleric Ahmad Abubakar Mahmoud Gumi has vehemently denied allegations that he condones or justifies banditry, arguing instead that his push for dialogue and rehabilitation has been willfully misrepresented by certain groups and online content creators with vested interests.

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Sheikh Gumi made this assertion in Kaduna, where he also reiterated his long-standing stance on adopting a non-kinetic approach to tackling insecurity, particularly in Northern Nigeria, where banditry and insurgency have taken hold.

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Nigeria's reliance on military force since the death of the Boko Haram leader in 2009 has failed to stem the tide of insecurity, which has spread to states such as Katsina, Zamfara, and Niger, according to Gumi.

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Gumi posed a rhetorical question, asking why the government has not changed its methodology after 17 years of kinetic approaches have yielded little success, and instead suggested exploring alternative strategies.

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The cleric criticized previous efforts in states like Katsina and Zamfara, which focused primarily on paying off bandits without addressing the underlying causes of the crisis, and instead advocated for a comprehensive rehabilitation framework.

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This framework, he explained, would involve engaging with armed groups, relocating them from forests, enrolling their children in schools, and establishing pathways for surrender through amnesty arrangements.

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Gumi questioned whether anyone had listened to the conditions set by the bandits for laying down their arms, emphasizing the need for confidence-building measures to facilitate any peace initiative.

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He noted that many bandits fear arrest or targeting after surrender, highlighting the need for assurances to be built into any peace process.

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Gumi drew parallels with the rehabilitation of repentant Boko Haram members, suggesting that similar measures could yield better results than years of military confrontation, citing the thousands of Boko Haram repentants as evidence.

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The cleric also called for moral reforms in governance, denouncing corruption and stressing that criminality should not be tolerated in any form, emphasizing the need for "sanity in governance".

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Gumi urged peaceful coexistence among ethnic and religious groups across the country, while also condemning the hypocrisy of government officials who claim to be fighting crime while engaging in corrupt practices.

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In a separate press statement issued in Kaduna on May 23, 2026, Gumi expressed concern over the persistent misrepresentation of his views in various forums, including media interviews and online discourse.

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Gumi stated unequivocally that any statements or materials attributed to him that suggest support for or justification of banditry or terrorism are entirely fabricated and do not emanate from him.

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The cleric warned that individuals spreading falsehoods about him could face legal action and urged the public, media organizations, and government authorities to disregard what he termed "fake, manipulated, and doctored materials" being circulated about him.

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Gumi expressed hope that Nigeria would ultimately overcome its insecurity challenges through collective efforts aimed at addressing the underlying drivers of violence, including poverty, ignorance, and social injustice.