Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has asked who would take the bold step of engaging Boko Haram insurgents and bandit groups through dialogue, similar to the approach adopted by former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in dealing with Niger Delta militants.
Gumi made the remarks in a post shared on his Facebook page on Saturday, where he recalled that Jonathan visited militants in the Niger Delta creeks, while Osinbajo also held engagements with them as part of efforts to restore peace in the region.
According to the cleric, those initiatives eventually led to programmes designed to reduce militancy and promote stability in the oil-producing region.
He questioned who would be willing to engage Boko Haram and bandits without facing criticism from Nigerians.
“The former President Jonathan visited delta militants in the creeks, so also the former vice president Osinbajo. They all came up with a programme to tame the militants. Who is going to visit BH and Bandits to tame them without fools castigating them?” Gumi wrote.
His comments come amid renewed discussions on how best to address insecurity in Nigeria, especially the continued threats posed by Boko Haram insurgents and armed bandit groups in parts of the North.
While some Nigerians have advocated for dialogue as part of the solution, others have opposed negotiations with criminal groups, insisting that security forces should take stronger action against them.
Samuel Agada is a writer and media contributor from Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria. He is a graduate of Biochemistry from the University of Jos and a former banker with GTBank and FCMB. A prolific writer, songwriter, educator, and Gospel preacher, he is passionate about informing, inspiring, and impacting society through his work.