A group of Northern elders, known as the North East Elders for Peace and Development, has dissociated itself from Islamic cleric, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi, asking him to stop against justifying armed banditry and other associated criminality currently sweeping through the country.
Gumi has recently become the emissary for bandits operating from forests in such places as Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina, and Niger States.
In his discussions with the bandits, Gumi has been known to make statements that justify the activities of these groups that have spread terror across the country. He has tried to brand them as ethnic fighters who are out to defend themselves, and not criminal gangs.
He has also been heard to be spreading messages that are capable of polarizing Nigerian soldiers along ethnic lines. For instance, he was heard telling the bandits that kidnapped schoolboys in Niger State last week that Moslem soldiers will never shoot at them.
“What I want you people to understand is, soldiers that are involved in most of the criminalities are not Muslims. You know, soldiers have Muslims and non-Muslims. The non-Muslims are the ones causing confusion just to ignite a crisis,” he told a delegation led by the Secretary to the Niger State Government on a negotiation mission for the release of the kidnapped Kagara students.
Responding to such statements, the elders Gumi’s allegations were not a representation of the position of the region, pointing out that the public must see those views as “his personal sentiments”.
The group spoke through a statement issued by its National Coordinator, Engr. Zana Goni.
“As Northern elders committed to a united and indivisible nation, we hasten to condemn in very strong terms the allegations made against the Nigerian military by one of our leading Islamic scholars, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi
“We rise in one voice to dissociate ourselves from the dangerous and divisive allegations levelled against our patriotic soldiers by Sheikh Gumi, in one of his missions to meet with bandits in a forest around Niger State,” it said.
“Ordinarily, we would have commended the Sheikh for daring to do what authorities failed, but for the profiling comments attributed to him, which we consider abhorrent and unhelpful to national development and peace.
“We warn that comments such as this have the potential of pitting the exposed soldiers against general areas in the North, where they have continued to put down their lives to protect the territorial integrity of the nation from those that seek to violate it.
“Our concern is further hinged on the possibility of the world concluding that the North may be offering tacit endorsement to banditry and associated crimes against society.
“To douse this tension, therefore, we call on relevant authorities, including prominent individuals and groups from the North, to condemn Gumi’s position in a manner that will absolve the region of conspiracy and vicarious liability, in the long run
“In whatever position we find ourselves, we must, at all material times, endeavour to put the collective interest of Nigeria over and above all other considerations, bearing in mind the fact that when the country collapses, it will do so on all of us, regardless of religion, ethnicity, or belief.
“Lastly, we urge Gumi to stop approbating and reprobating at the same time, and to immediately call-off his mission, if he has developed lethargy in the course of undertaking visits to deep forests.”
