Declaring bandits as terrorists changes nothing – Gumi warns

Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, a popular Islamic cleric has once again hit out at calls for bandits to be declared terrorists, saying even if the federal government decides to make the decision, it won’t change anything.

In a statement by Malam Tukur Mamu, the Dan-Iyan Fika and Media Consultant to Sheikh Gumi, the Muslim scholar said: “I think the Federal Government has succumbed to media blackmail by a section of the country. It will not have any practical value because even before the declaration they are being fought and treated as terrorists.”

“So it’s just a nomenclature which I believe will not change the dynamics on the ground.

“If you can remember IPOB was also declared a terrorist organisation, the declaration was even backed by the order of the Court but as you can see even the international community did not recognise FG’s declaration of IPOB. So it has failed to be effective or to achieve the desired results.”

“They have not been ban from travelling to other countries while their citizenship remains intact, it has not been denounced. So what type of declaration is that?

” I sincerely hope that Nigerians will not take the herdsmen as terrorists but should regard the criminality of the few among them against innocent people as acts of terrorism just as we see IPOB and their attacks on security agencies and other northern citizens as acts of terrorism. Very few herdsmen are bandits if you go through their population.”

Born in Kano State, Ahmad Gumi is the eldest son to late Shaykh Abubakar Gumi. He came from a geneanalogy of islamic scholars with his father first Grand Khadi of the old Northern Region.His father was instrumental in the Islamization of Northern Nigeria particularly under Sir Ahmadu Bello