Security Budget should be used to fend for bandits – Gumi

Sheik Ahmad Gumi, a prominent Islamic cleric, has implored the federal government to look into the possibility of deploying budgets for security into addressing demands and needs of bandits instead of waging war against them.

Gumi said this while on his five-day visit to bandits’ and Fulani settlements in Zamfara State.

While speaking to Journalists, he said most of the bandits had lost most of their possessions to cattle rustling as well as to extortion by some corrupt security agents.

Gumi said the Federal Government should address the needs of armed Fulani, including provision of basic amenities and training, with funds budgeted for security.

He said “Such billions would be more than enough if judiciously used to address all the demands of the armed Fulani, including providing them with basic amenities, training them and providing them with the needed capital.”

In a meeting with the Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, Gumi had said the security crisis in Zamfara is not banditry but insurgency, stating that dialogue is the best option to end the problems in the state and even nationwide.

Gumi however, urged the bandits to adopt peace by dropping their weapons, assuring them that the Zamfara State government is willing to address their grievances.

According to him, the bandits are willing to drop their arms if the vigilante group stops attacking and killing them.