Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has revealed that he routinely negotiates with bandits in front of government and law enforcement representatives.
In an exclusive interview with Sunday PUNCH, Gumi said, “I am in the eye of the storm, and I am a full-fledged Nigerian,” when asked why he has taken the issue of communicating to terrorists seriously. Peace and quiet are things that I’m interested in as well. Knowing what it’s like from my experience in the army, I am eager to hear the official story.
“Ninety percent of human intelligence today is worthless. About ten percent is all that is left. Because intelligence is unable to detect these individuals, coups occur.
“They also killed their leaders because no intelligence picked them up. Can we wait until we get a government that understands, then, we can make plans to intervene and see if it can calm nerves to achieve peace. No, as individuals, we have to do our best. Then I can advise the government on what we have seen.
“One thing Nigerians should understand is that I have never been to any den of these people without officials of the government. I go with the police because one cannot go alone; you must go with them.
“Only that they will tell you there is a perimeter—don’t come with some of them. Sometimes, I also go with traditional institutions and state government officials. My plan is only to broker peace with them. They open their doors for us to sit and discuss issues.”
This discovery comes as killings and kidnappings continue to climb in northern Nigeria, despite the government’s significant security investment.
Gumi condemned the government’s use of military solutions, comparing it to giving the incorrect medication to a sick person.
“No matter how many expensive drugs you give to patients, if they are not the right drugs, they will not get cured,” he said, emphasising that the banditry problem is based in socioeconomic concerns.
He also stated that the majority of the bandits are young, and that conversation is preferable to military involvement in this circumstance.
“When a society is neglected until it becomes harmful, like the military, the next line of action is dialogue,” according to Gumi.
He questioned the government’s insistence on military action when the bandits were willing to negotiate, proposing a shift in strategy.
“It is really useless when we spend our money on modern gadgets, intelligence gathering, and all that; we are going astray,” Gumi said, implying that increasing the police force would be a more effective answer.
Gumi also stated that deploying the military in guerilla warfare is unproductive.
“Using the military to fight a guerrilla war is like punishing the military,” he told me.
He commented on his bargaining tactic, saying that approaching robbers as a preacher opens the door to dialogue.
“When one approaches them as a negotiator or a preacher, they open their hearts,” he stated further.
He was concerned about the bandits’ developing religious inclinations, noting their chanting of “Allahu Akbar” as a disturbing sign.
Regarding charges of political sponsorship of terrorists, Gumi vehemently disputed them, saying, “No politician funds these guys. “We’re all victims. He linked the aggression to long-term neglect and deprivation.