Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, the popular Nigerian Islamic cleric, has said bandits are getting more vicious, attributing it to the kinetic approach used by the government.
Gumi suggested that the government should have a dialogue with bandits rather than pay any ransom for victims’ freedom.
His statement followed the recent kidnappings in Kaduna State and the demand of N40 trillion as ransom by the bandits.
Gumi made this known in an interview with Arise Television on Thursday, saying they only pitched the ludicrous amount of N1 billion naira ransom as a bargaining tool.
The cleric also said there is need for a change of approach by the Nigerian government to issues of banditry and terrorism.
“I believe no ransom should be paid but engage these people, give them hope and not only in this children’s case. I’m so sad that the leaders are just realizing that it is turning into a war. It has been a war and not mere criminality. If we can see Israel and Hamas sitting down to exchange prisoners, I don’t see why we cannot negotiate.
“I support that the government should not pay any ransom but what I say is that the government must dialogue and from my knowledge about their psychology, that amount they are pitching is because they want to have a bigger bargaining power, otherwise, I don’t think in their wildest dreams, they would think the government would give them that money.
“What is happening now is that we are seeing that these bandits are getting more and more vicious. Before now, they didn’t do what they do now. We can only attribute that to the kinetic approach which is over emphasized. When we hear the politicians talk, nothing is done about it to overcome these people. For example, now we are fighting bandits,”
he said.
