Seeking Peace with Bandits is Islamic; Gumi Volunteers to Negotiate with Bandits for Release of Abducted Children

Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, based in Kaduna State, has expressed his willingness to assist President Bola Tinubu in negotiating with bandits for the release of 287 abducted schoolchildren. He stated that it is his religious duty to pursue peace with bandits and that he is prepared to lead a comprehensive dialogue between the government and the bandits.

In an interview with Leadership Newspaper, Sheikh Gumi volunteered to facilitate negotiations for the release of the abducted children from the Kuriga school. He emphasized the importance of the Tinubu administration engaging in dialogue with bandits, as he believed the previous administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari had failed to do so.

Sheikh Gumi stressed that government dialogue with bandits should not be limited to securing the release of abducted schoolchildren but should encompass all cases involving banditry. He cited the government’s successful negotiation for the release of passengers abducted on the Abuja-Kaduna train in 2022 as a model to follow in securing the release of the Kuriga schoolchildren and others.

The abduction of 287 schoolchildren from a government-owned school in Kuriga, Kaduna State, last week has drawn comparisons to the 2014 mass abduction of over 200 Chibok girls in Borno State by Boko Haram terrorists. President Tinubu has condemned the abduction and instructed security agencies to rescue the abducted children.

Amnesty International has also called on the Federal Government to ensure the release of the abducted schoolchildren and criticized the government for failing in its primary duty to protect life and property. Sheikh Ahmad Gumi’s offer to mediate in the negotiation process underscores the urgency of the situation and the need for swift action to secure the release of the abducted children.

Peoples Gazette