Gumi To FG: Give Bandits Same ‘Blanket Amnesty’ Given To Niger Delta Militants

Popular Nigerian Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmed Gumi, has urged the government to give ‘blanket amnesty’ to bandits in the country.

The cleric made the appeal after he met with the suspected bandits that recently abducted about 52 people, including students, in separate attacks in Niger State.

Gumi advised the federal government to extend the amnesty given to Niger Delta militants to bandits terrorising the country, especially the north.

According to him, he had met with different factions of bandits in Niger State and that they all aired their complaints against the government.

Gumi, who failed to mention what the bandits’ grievances were, said the outcome of his meeting with them was positive.

“The outcome is very positive because we have worrying factions. Each faction is saying they have their own complaints and grievances which are very simple. There is hope that we can resolve this.

“I appeal to government and recommend that government should do to them exactly what they did to the Niger delta militant and give them a blanket amnesty. Then if anybody will continue, we will deal with him.”

Gumi explained that his meeting with the bandits was part of his resolve to ensure Nigeria enjoys absolute peace.

The cleric had similarly met with the leaders of bandits in Zamfara state forests to appeal to them to stop attacking residents of the state.