Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has revealed why some bandits he engaged with are unwilling to abandon their weapons, saying they fear being killed if they stop attacking communities.
Gumi said the armed men claimed they were unhappy with the continued bloodshed but felt compelled to sustain the violence because of alleged killings in their own communities.
According to the cleric, the bandits described the situation as a cycle of revenge, attacks and counterattacks, insisting that abandoning their activities could expose them to danger.
He made the disclosure during an interview on PAPShow, published on October 29, with excerpts of the interview circulating widely on social media on Tuesday.
Gumi recalled that one of the bandits he spoke with admitted that the killings had become excessive, although the group claimed it was being forced to continue the violence.
“One of the bandits was telling us the bloodshed is too much,” he said.
He added, “They, too, are not happy. And they say they are forced to do it.”
Explaining their grievances, Gumi said the armed men accused the military and local vigilantes of killing women and children during operations against criminal groups.
He said the bandits questioned why women and children in their communities were being killed, claiming that such incidents had fuelled their determination to retaliate.
According to him, the armed men viewed the violence as a continuing cycle of revenge.
“So, they feel it’s a field of blood, revenge, attack and counterattack,” he said.
The cleric argued that dialogue was necessary to end the killings, urging religious leaders and other stakeholders to work towards bringing the armed groups and government representatives to the negotiating table.
He maintained that the bandits needed assurances that they would not be killed if they surrendered or abandoned their criminal activities.
“Because they thought they were killed. So, we need to reaffirm to them, to put confidence in them that they will not be killed,” Gumi said.
The cleric also raised concerns over the proliferation of sophisticated weapons among armed groups, alleging that financial sponsorship and rivalry between different factions were fuelling an arms race.
Asked whether individuals were sponsoring the bandits, he said it was possible, explaining that money received by the groups was sometimes used to purchase more weapons.
He said rival factions competed to acquire superior firepower, including machine guns, to intimidate one another.
On how the armed groups obtained their weapons, Gumi said they relied on illegal markets where firearms could allegedly be purchased by those with enough money.
“Well, it’s a black market, like drugs. It’s a black market. If you just have the money, you get them,” he said.
He further alleged that foreign intelligence agencies could have a hand in supplying weapons to armed groups operating in Nigeria, although he provided no evidence to support the claim.
“Foreign intelligence definitely have a hand in it,” he said.
Asked whether foreign countries could be arming Nigerian bandits and terrorists, Gumi replied that it was possible.
Banditry remains a major security threat in northern Nigeria, particularly in the North-West, where armed groups have carried out deadly attacks, kidnapped residents for ransom and displaced entire communities.
Gumi has repeatedly engaged with some of the armed groups, advocating dialogue and negotiations as a way of ending the violence.
However, his approach has attracted criticism from Nigerians who believe negotiating with bandits could embolden criminal groups, undermine security operations and weaken efforts to bring perpetrators of killings and kidnappings to justice.
Don’t Miss Out! Join our WhatsApp Channel for instant news updates. Click here to join
