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Sheikh Ahmad Gumi urges negotiation over military action to tackle banditry in Nigeria.
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Gumi cites the Niger Delta amnesty programme as evidence that dialogue can resolve violent conflicts.
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He warns that ongoing military confrontations perpetuate hatred, making peaceful resolution essential.
Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has stated that addressing banditry through dialogue, rather than force, is the most effective way to restore security in Nigeria.
Writing on his Facebook page, Gumi noted that years of military campaigns against Boko Haram and armed bandits have not yielded lasting results. He emphasized that the armed forces have fought Boko Haram for 16 years and bandits for over a decade, yet violence persists.
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He pointed out that negotiation had successfully curbed militancy in the Niger Delta, showing that dialogue can achieve peace where war has failed.
Gumi criticized repeated reliance on military measures, saying that expecting different outcomes from the same approach is futile. He highlighted that cycles of violence are fueled by mutual hatred and retaliation.
To break these cycles, Gumi urged both the government and citizens to adopt conflict resolution strategies based on negotiation, compromise, and moral rejection of violence. He stressed that sustainable peace requires embracing intellectual, faith-based, and ethical approaches to conflict.
