Kidnappings: Gumi Finally Reveals Why No School Is Safe Until FG Negotiates With Bandits
- Sheik Abubakar Gumi has urged the federal government to negotiate with the bandits in order to stop kidnappings in the country
- Gumi, who was reacting to the abduction of some school children in Niger state, said the needless kidnappings would continue until there is genuine negotiation with bandits
- According to him, the bandits are only looking for money, hence they resorted to the abduction of innocent students
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Kaduna, Kaduna - Sheik Abubakar Gumi, a Kaduna-based popular Islamic cleric, has reacted to the recent kidnapping of some school children in the northern parts of the country.
In an exclusive interview with The Punch, the fiery cleric stated that there are about 100,000 armed bandits in the northwest alone.
Source: Facebook
Legit.ng gathered that Gumi said the bandits kidnapping school pupils were disappointed that he negotiated with them without the involvement of the federal government.
Speaking on the efforts to rescue the kidnapped pupils of Tegina Islamic School, Niger state, Gumi insisted that until the government engaged with the herdsmen, no school could be safe, especially in the north.
He said:
“But we are trying to talk sense to them that these are just innocent schoolchildren. We don’t even have any idea of the condition of the children. We are just saying these are young children trying to study and they did nothing, so why are you trying to take dirty money from their families?"
Gumi, however, said that with good engagement, education and enticements like jobs and other things, the bandits would leave the illegal job, adding that he needs a partner and that the government should understand that individuals like him alone cannot do it.
He said:
“All those we met (have stopped kidnapping), except for one of them who is kidnapping again, and he told us his reason, that he was neglected and he thought we had the mandate to negotiate."
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Gumi says bandits are tired, want genuine negotiation with FG
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that Sheik Gumi declared that bandits terrorising some states across the country were tired and wanted peace.
It was reported that the Kaduna-based Islamic scholar said bandits were ready to lay down their arms if they get a genuine partnership from the government.
Gumi noted that bandits said they were pushed into banditry by circumstances, adding that he had met with about 80% of the bandits.
Source: Legit.ng
