Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has said that kidnapping schoolchildren, though condemnable, is a “lesser evil” when compared with the killing of soldiers during attacks by armed groups.
In an interview with the BBC, Gumi argued that crimes committed by bandits vary in gravity.
He noted that abductions in which victims are freed unharmed should not be equated with murder.
He cited incidents in Kebbi State where students were seized and later released without fatalities, saying such cases illustrate the difference between “evil” and “a greater evil.”
According to him, his message for parents of the abducted children is prayer for their safe return.
The cleric reaffirmed his long-standing call for dialogue with bandit groups.
He insisted that negotiation remains a realistic tool for reducing violence and saving lives.
The cleric questioned claims that governments should not engage non-state actors.
He said such positions are neither religious nor practical.
According to him, “past mediation efforts were carried out openly and with the knowledge of security agencies and journalists”.
He disclosed that his “last direct interactions with bandit factions occurred in 2021” and ended when the groups were officially designated as terrorists.
Gumi also argued that Nigeria’s military alone cannot resolve the crisis.
Citing comments from security authorities, he said the country’s response is heavily reliant on kinetic operations, even though addressing the root causes demands political and community involvement.
He further claimed that most bandits are Fulani herders rather than urban Fulani, describing their activities as emerging from survival struggles tied to cattle rearing and traditional livelihoods.
The cleric maintained that the conflict requires a mix of security action and broader engagement to reduce violence across affected regions.
Gumi’s comments come as over 100 people, among more than 300 students and several teachers, abducted by bandits in Niger State, are still waiting to be freed.
The Federal Government recently confirmed the release of 100 of the victims, while about 50 others reportedly escaped shortly after the attack.
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