Kaduna-based Islamic cleric Sheik Gumi has advised President Bola Tinubu to avoid following in the footsteps of his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, who refused to engage in negotiations with bandits.
Gumi expressed his willingness to facilitate comprehensive discussions between the federal government and bandits to ensure the release of all victims held captive by them.
Gumi criticized the decision of the Kaduna State government to refrain from negotiating with the bandits responsible for the recent abduction of 287 schoolchildren from Kuriga Government Secondary and LEA Primary Schools in Chikun local government area.
He highlighted the success of negotiations in rescuing victims of the Abuja-Kaduna train kidnapping on March 28, 2022, and urged the government to consider using this approach again.
Gumi said, “The government’s stand of no negotiation with the bandits is an unfortunate position. My advice is that the government should dialogue with the bandits not only for these Kuriga school children abductions but all the cases.
“Also, the government should use the same approach it used in releasing passengers that were abducted on Abuja-Kaduna train in 2022 to release the Kuriga schoolchildren and others,”
“I am ready to lead a holistic dialogue between the government and bandits. It is a religious duty for me to do so for peace. I hope the present government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will listen by dialoguing with the bandits because the past administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari refused to do”
