- Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi reiterates his call for the federal government to negotiate with bandits for the release of abducted Nigerians
- He offers to facilitate discussions between the government and bandits, cautioning against repeating the mistake of refusing dialogue
Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi, a prominent Islamic cleric and former military officer, has reiterated his call for the federal government to engage in negotiations with bandits to secure the release of abducted Nigerians.
Gumi, who had previously advocated for dialogue with bandits during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, expressed his willingness to facilitate comprehensive discussions between the government and the bandits.
Addressing President Bola Tinubu, Gumi cautioned against repeating the “mistake” made by Buhari, who declined to initiate dialogue with the bandits.
His statement came after the Kaduna State government rejected engaging in talks with the bandits responsible for the abduction of 287 students from Kuriga Government Secondary and LEA Primary Schools in the Chikun Local Government Area.
Gumi criticized the government’s refusal to negotiate, deeming it unfortunate. He urged the government to engage in dialogue not only for the Kuriga school children abduction but for all similar cases.
The cleric recommended employing the same approach used in releasing passengers abducted on the Abuja–Kaduna train in 2022 to secure the release of the Kuriga school children and others.
Asserting his readiness to lead a comprehensive dialogue between the government and the bandits, Gumi emphasized his religious duty to pursue peace through dialogue.
He expressed hope that the present administration under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would heed his advice and engage in dialogue with the bandits, contrasting it with the previous administration’s refusal to do so under Buhari.
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