Sheikh Ahmad Gumi Urges Tinubu to Negotiate with Bandits, Draws Contrast with Buhari’s Approach

Kaduna-based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has made a bold plea to the government, urging permission to engage in dialogue with bandits responsible for the abduction of approximately 287 schoolchildren from Kuriga Government Secondary and LEA Primary Schools in the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Gumi emphasized the importance of dialogue, urging President Bola Tinubu to adopt a different strategy from his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, who declined negotiations with the bandits.

Bandits stormed the Kuriga area of the Chikun Local Government Area, Kaduna State, seizing at least 280 pupils and teachers from the targeted schools, following a spate of abductions, including the recent kidnapping of 200 internally displaced women in Borno State.

In a related incident, bandits previously raided Gonin-Gora, prompting locals to block the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway in protest against the abductions.

Despite the ongoing crisis, the affected state government has stood firm on its decision not to negotiate with the bandits for the release of the abducted schoolchildren, denying any involvement with private negotiators for their release.

Reacting to the government’s stance, Gumi expressed disappointment, stating, “The government’s stand of no negotiation with the bandits is an unfortunate position.” He advocated for dialogue, citing the successful negotiation approach used in previous abduction cases, such as the release of passengers abducted on the Abuja–Kaduna train in 2022.

Gumi, offering to spearhead talks between the government and the bandits, reiterated his religious obligation to pursue peace through dialogue.

He underscored the importance of the current administration under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu heeding his call for negotiation, contrasting it with the previous administration’s refusal to engage in dialogue.

Gumi, known for his previous negotiation efforts on behalf of state governments, received commendation in May 2021 for his role in seeking the release of abducted individuals, including students from the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, Kaduna State.