Kaduna State-based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has stated that the corridor for negotiating with bandits has closed, warning that they will no longer listen to him or other Islamic clerics.
Gumi, who is well-known for previously visiting bandits in their forest hideouts for dialogue, made this disclosure in a video currently trending on social media.
The controversial cleric went on to fault the decision of the Nigerian Federal Government to declare the bandits as terrorists.
The former military officer, who warned that insecurity in the country could “get worse”, argued that the bandits had initially demonstrated a “willingness to negotiate”.
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Speaking in the viral clip, Gumi said: “We don’t want to push them into terror beyond what they are doing now because it can get worse.
“They have shown us their willingness to negotiate. So, for people who are ready to negotiate, why are you rushing to declare them terrorists so that you can use whatever weapons you bought?
“Before, they used to catch Boko Haram and present them to the authorities in Zamfara, but now they are all terrorists.
“Secondly, the only door that was remaining was for us clergy to go in and negotiate with them, and that is now closed permanently.”