Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Mahmoud Gumi, has called on the Federal Government to consider granting amnesty to armed bandits as part of efforts to end the security crisis in northern Nigeria, arguing that the same rehabilitation model used for repentant Boko Haram members should be extended to bandits. Speaking during a press conference at his residence in Kaduna on Monday, May 25, 2026, Gumi said Nigeria’s prolonged reliance on military force has failed to end banditry and insurgency after 17 years of sustained operations. “If the kinetic approach is not working for 17 years, why don’t you change the approach? Let’s change the method,” Gumi said.
The cleric argued that previous attempts at negotiation in states such as Katsina and Zamfara failed because authorities focused mainly on financial settlements without establishing long‑term rehabilitation programmes. He advocated a broader framework involving engagement with armed groups, dislodging them from forests, enrolling their children in schools, and creating pathways for surrender through amnesty arrangements. “Let’s engage them. Let’s dislodge them from the forest. Let’s take their children and put them in school. Let’s do something different,” he said. Gumi noted that some bandits have expressed willingness to lay down their arms if they are guaranteed protection from arrest or retaliation. “These people told us they are ready to lay down their arms, but what are their conditions? Has anybody listened to them?” he queried. “They said they fear when they lay down arms, they will then be pursued and arrested. So give them the amnesty so that they don’t need to fear putting down their arms.”
Drawing parallels with the rehabilitation programme for repentant Boko Haram members, Gumi said a similar model could be explored in addressing rural banditry across the North‑West. “From the number of Boko Haram repentants, which are in thousands, you can see that the same approach can be applied to the bandits,” he stated. The cleric also linked the insecurity to poverty, social injustice, and corruption, urging leaders to pursue reforms capable of addressing the root causes of violence. He condemned corruption among government officials, insisting that criminality should not be tolerated in any form. “We need sanity in governance,” he said. “We don’t want to hear stories of government officials swallowing billions of naira while talking about fighting criminals. Crime is crime.”
During the briefing, Gumi also used the opportunity to deny allegations that he supports or justifies banditry or terrorism, describing the accusations as deliberate distortions by what he called “ethnic‑interest groups” and sensational online content creators. He stated unequivocally that any video clip, written statement, or message suggesting support for, justification of, or advocacy for banditry or terrorism in Nigeria does not emanate from him. He warned that individuals or groups continuing to spread falsehoods against him would face legal action. The cleric, who has long advocated for dialogue and amnesty for bandits, stressed that his engagements with armed groups were aimed solely at restoring peace in the country.
Gumi’s latest call for amnesty comes as the Federal Government continues its military operations against bandits in the North‑West and North‑Central zones, where attacks, abductions and cattle rustling have displaced thousands and created a humanitarian crisis. While the government has maintained a programme for the rehabilitation of “repentant” Boko Haram fighters, the proposal to extend similar amnesty to bandits has previously sparked controversy, with critics arguing that it could encourage more violence and undermine public trust in the justice system. No official reaction from the Federal Government had been issued as of the time of this report, but the military high command had earlier insisted that bandits remain targets of ongoing clearance operations.
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