Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has said the Nigerian military cannot defeat bandit groups through force, insisting that dialogue remains the only viable option to end insecurity in the country.
Gumi stated this in an interview with the BBC, where he argued that conventional armies globally struggle against guerrilla fighters, noting that Nigeria is no different.
“But even the military says that in dealing with this civil unrest and criminality, only 25 per cent is kinetic action; the rest depends on the government, politics and local communities. The military cannot do everything,” he said. “Where have you ever seen the military defeat guerrilla fighters? Nowhere.”
His remarks come as President Bola Tinubu’s administration implements new security measures, including changes in military leadership and a nationwide security emergency targeting banditry and kidnapping.
Gumi also denied allegations that he maintains links with bandit leaders, saying he has not engaged with them since 2021, when the federal government designated the groups as terrorists.
“I never went there alone,” he said. “It was in 2021 when I tried to see how we could bring them together. But the government at the time was not interested. They declared them terrorists, and since then we have completely disengaged.”
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The cleric defended his calls for negotiation, saying engagement with armed groups is common internationally. “America negotiated with the Taliban. Everyone negotiates with outlaws if it will stop bloodshed,” he said.
Gumi described the armed groups operating in the northwest and other regions as largely Fulani herders involved in what he termed an “existential war” linked to their cattle-rearing livelihood.
The cleric has faced criticism for past engagements with bandit groups and controversial remarks, including describing the abduction of schoolchildren as a “lesser evil” compared to killing security personnel.