Nigerian cleric Gumi urges Negotiation With Bandits, Calls Child Kidnappings ‘Lesser Evil’

By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu

Nigerian cleric Gumi urges Negotiation With Bandits, Calls Child Kidnappings ‘Lesser Evil’

Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has restated his long-standing position that negotiating with armed bandit groups remains unavoidable if Nigeria hopes to reduce the rising levels of violence in the north.

Speaking in an interview with the BBC, monitored by AfricaWorldnews, Gumi argued that although kidnapping children is unquestionably wrong, he considers it a “lesser evil” when compared to the killing of soldiers and civilians during attacks.

He maintained that where abducted children are eventually released without injury, the outcome, while tragic, is less severe than fatalities.

Gumi referenced previous mass abductions such as the case in Kebbi State, where students were seized but later released alive. He insisted that acknowledging degrees of harm is necessary when designing strategies to prevent more casualties.

His comments come amid the ongoing abduction of more than 315 people in Niger State, including 303 students and 12 teachers.

The Federal Government recently confirmed the release of 100 students, while about 50 others reportedly escaped shortly after the attack.

Asked what message he had for families of the missing students, Gumi simply described the situation as “evil” and prayed for their safe return.

For years, the cleric has argued that dialogue is a realistic tool in dealing with heavily armed groups operating across Nigeria’s northwest, noting that many governments around the world negotiate with non-state actors in complex conflicts.

He dismissed the idea that refusing to negotiate is an effective principle, saying neither the Bible nor the Qur’an prohibits engagement aimed at preventing widespread bloodshed.

Gumi stressed that his own outreach efforts were carried out openly and with the knowledge of authorities and the media. He said his last direct contact with bandit groups was in 2021, after which he withdrew when the Federal Government officially designated the groups as terrorists.

Discussing broader insecurity, the former army captain said Nigeria’s military alone cannot resolve the crisis. He argued that military action accounts for only a fraction of what is needed, while political leadership, community involvement and socio-economic solutions must fill the gap.

He also reiterated that most armed groups involved in rural attacks are Fulani herders, not urban Fulani communities, adding that their conflict with the state is intertwined with cattle rearing, land pressures and survival.

Gumi’s remarks again highlight the sharp national divide over whether negotiation or military force should anchor Nigeria’s strategy in tackling kidnappings, banditry and large-scale rural violence, especially across the northwest region.

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Chioma Ndukwu

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