Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi has called on the Nigerian government to adopt a rehabilitation strategy for Fulani bandits, mirroring the amnesty granted to Niger Delta militants, if peace initiatives in the North are to achieve lasting impact.
Speaking in Kaduna, Gumi said many of the armed groups operate out of frustration linked to poverty, neglect, and insecurity, and argued that military crackdowns alone will deepen the crisis.
“In the Niger Delta, militants were not only pardoned but also trained, educated, and empowered. The same must be extended to these bandits if the government genuinely wants them to drop their weapons,” he said. “Amnesty without rehabilitation, reconciliation, and reparation is meaningless.”
He added that security agencies must work to strengthen dialogue with bandit leaders rather than disrupt ongoing negotiations, noting that assurances of safety and reintegration would encourage fighters to surrender.
The cleric has repeatedly urged dialogue with armed groups and suggested that a pastoralist-focused programme, similar to the 2009 Niger Delta amnesty, could address the roots of violence and restore stability to rural communities.
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His comments, however, remain contentious. The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and other groups have dismissed comparisons between militants and bandits, stressing that Niger Delta agitation centred on environmental degradation and resource control, unlike bandit attacks, which include mass kidnappings and killings of civilians.
Observers caution that any rehabilitation programme would need strict safeguards to distinguish between those willing to reform and those exploiting the process.
Victims’ rights and perceptions of fairness, they say, must also be taken into account.
Despite these concerns, Gumi insists that without a structured rehabilitation plan, Nigeria risks prolonging the violence in its northern region.