By: Sunday Ameh
Controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has defended his frequent visits to armed bandits, insisting that his engagements are neither secretive nor independent of security agencies.
Gumi made the remarks on Monday while speaking at the 2025 Southwest Muslims Ulama Summit held at the University of Ibadan. He criticised what he described as years of “misrepresentation” by the media and the public concerning his outreach to armed groups.
According to the Kaduna-based cleric, his visits are part of an effort to understand the roots of Nigeria’s insecurity and to open channels for education and reintegration of armed herders.
“When I go, I go with the police. I don’t go alone. I go with the government. It’s not a one-man machine. I carry everybody along,” Gumi said, stressing that his missions are coordinated and not rogue operations.
He attributed the rise in banditry to long-term neglect, lack of education, and widespread unemployment among herders.
“The basic reason is lack of education and unemployment. These are the two evils,” he said.
He added that many herders have been left in isolation for years, without communication or access to social development.
To illustrate his point, Gumi said:
“If you select maybe 10 people here, keep them with cows alone with no communication to the outside world, come back in one year and see how they will be. They will be mooing like a cow. If you don’t give man education, you’ll get nothing.”
He argued that addressing insecurity requires visiting the root of the crisis rather than condemning bandits from afar.
“I say the best way to curb insecurity is to go and see the source of the insecurity,” he maintained. “In trying to go there, establish contact with them and open channels for them to get educated, then it became a problem.”
Gumi lamented that he continues to suffer public attacks because of persistent media misrepresentation.
“Whenever you hear of Gumi, then I have a barrage of attacks coming at me, all because of this misrepresentation,” he said. “I can understand now what Muslims in the Southwest have been enduring.”
He said his aim has always been to build communication channels that will reintegrate armed herders into society through guidance, learning, and dialogue.
Despite not understanding Yoruba, Gumi praised the scholars at the summit, noting that he resonated with the issues raised.
“I don’t understand Yoruba, but I can understand from the vibration of the voices that we are saying the same thing,” he said.
Leave a Reply