Controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has attributed the surge in banditry across Nigeria to what he described as an “existential war” being fought by Fulani herdsmen, urging the government to approach the crisis with a deeper understanding of its roots.
Speaking in an interview with the BBC on Tuesday, Gumi stressed that most of the armed groups operating in the forests are pastoral Fulani fighting for survival, not their urban counterparts.
“They are fighting an existential war… Their life revolves around cattle. In fact, they inherit them. They’ll tell you, ‘This cow I inherited from my grandfather,’” he said.
Gumi urged Nigerians to distinguish between Fulani herders and urban Fulani, warning against painting all with the same brush.
“They are mostly Fulani herdsmen, not the Fulani town. You have to differentiate between the two,” he added.
The cleric emphasised that the Nigerian military cannot shoulder the responsibility of resolving the crisis alone.
I Withdrew After Terrorist Designation’
Gumi also addressed criticism of his past peace efforts with bandit groups, revealing that he halted his mediation efforts once the federal government officially designated the groups as terrorists.
“My last meeting with them was in 2021. I made efforts to unite the factions and push for peace, but the government was not keen. When they were labeled as terrorists, I completely withdrew,” he said.
He refuted claims of collusion with the bandits, clarifying that his meetings were conducted publicly and with government awareness.
“I go there with the authorities. I don’t go there alone. And I go there with the press,” he explained.
Gumi stirred more controversy when he described the kidnapping of schoolchildren as a “lesser evil” compared to the killing of military personnel.
“Saying that kidnapping children is a lesser evil than killing your soldiers, definitely it is a lesser evil. Killing is worse. But they are all evil. It’s just a lesser evil,” he said.
He referenced the mass abduction in Kebbi State, saying, “They abducted children, and they were released. They didn’t kill them.”
Pressed on what message he had for parents of kidnapped children, Gumi responded: “It’s an evil, and we pray that they escape.”
‘No Religion Prohibits Negotiation’
Reinforcing his long-held view, Gumi said nothing in the Quran or the Bible forbids negotiation with bandits, especially when it can save lives.
“That word [‘we don’t negotiate’], I don’t know where they got it from. It’s not in the Bible. It’s not in the Quran,” he said.
“In fact, it’s not even in practice. Everybody’s negotiating with outlaws, non-state actors, everybody. So who got it, and where did they get that knowledge from? We negotiate for peace and our strategic interests. If negotiation will bring stoppage to bloodshed, we will do it.”