Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, a famous Islamic cleric, revealed that his meeting and communication with bandits were done with government officials present.
Gumi made this known while decrying the calls for his arrest and prosecution because of meeting with bandits.
Responding to those calling for his arrest, Gumi described them as ”clowns”.
Recall that the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, had called for the arrest and prosecution of Sheikh Gumi.
It would be recalled that the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIW, had earlier called for the arrest of the Gumi, pointing out that his meeting with the bandits was treasonable, which should be dealt with severely.
Gumi, however, said he’s not the first to interact and negotiate with bandits.
When speaking with newsmen, the Kaduna-based cleric said the Kaduna and Zamfara States’ governors had met with the bandits before he did.
While commenting on those calling for his arrest, Gumi said: “Those are clowns, even the Kaduna State governor dialogued with them, Zamfara governor dialogued with them.
“I’m not the first person that started dialoguing with them (bandits). I only added value, and I find them to be religious; religion is the only thing that teaches you that blood has sanctity. So this is the religious angle.
I’m trying to gather them and teach them that there is a sanctity to life. They cannot kill, rape, and so on. This is the addition I hope will work. Note, I never visited these bandits without a government official, but they are in the background.
“All the bandits we met were with government officials, and that is why I said those calling for my arrest are clowns.”
The Islamic cleric also insisted that his interaction with bandits has yielded instant positive results.
“My interaction with bandits has yielded instant results. When you are dealing with somebody engrossed in criminality, if you approach him as a policeman, you will have a problem, but if you come to him as a pastor, he will confess all his sins to you.
“So we approach them as clergy, and they feel comfortable to vomit all their problems. Hence, we see how we can appease and help them.
“We are not approaching them as an authority but from the spiritual angle. You know every human being has that spiritual influence, and that is why we are adopting that,” he added.