An Islamic Scholar, Sheikh Dr Aimed Abubakar Mahmoud Gumi, has called for government to provide bandits with “means livelihood including jobs, working capitals, entrepreneurship training, building clinic and schooling.”
The renowned cleric stated this when he visited some bandits in the forests of Shinkafi and Gummi local government areas of Zamfara State.
Gumi’s visit to the bandits was aimed at spreading the message of Islam and peace to the Fulani herdsmen in a bid to rid the country of kidnappings and banditry.
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Gummi alongside his entourage reportedly visited the forest of Tubali and Makkai in Shinkafi Local Government Area, a stronghold under the control of armed Fulani herdsmen.
He met with about 150 armed bandits at the Tubali forest, who expressed their grievances and why it would be difficult for them to surrender their arms.
The chairman of Shinkafi council reportedly said before the peace agreement with the bandits, there were frequent and rampant cases of kidnappings on Shinkafi-Gusau road while instances of frequent attacks with heavy casualties were rampant, adding that presently, the council had spent seven months without a single attack.
The bandit commander, identified simply as Bello, said, “Let the killings of our loved ones by security agents without due process of the law stop, as well as cattle rustling that denied most of us legitimate means of livelihood.”
At Makkai Forest, Gumi and his entourage met with more than 600 bandits with automatic rifles.
Their top commander, one Kachalla Turji, welcomed the Sheikh.
Like in Tubali, the bandits in Makkai expressed frustration at government attitude towards them.
Gumi said, “Let there be peace; you all have a legitimate concern and grievances, and I believe that since the Niger Delta armed militants were integrated by the Federal Government and are even in the business of pipelines protection, the Federal Government should immediately look into how something like that will be done to the Fulani to provide them with reasonable means of livelihood including jobs, working capitals, entrepreneurship training, building clinic and schooling.”
See photos from the visit
