Nigerian Govt succumbed to blackmail to declare bandits as terrorists – Gumi

Renowned Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, said the Federal Government had succumbed to blackmail in declaring bandits as terrorists as such a move would not end the country’s insecurity.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had, on Friday, declared bandits wreaking havoc in the North-West and North-Central parts of the country as terrorists.

The judge, who made the pronouncement in his ruling on the ex-parte application filed by the Federal Government, declared that the activities of bandit groups known as ‘Yan Bindiga’ and ‘Yan Ta’adda’ constituted acts of terrorism.

Gumi, who reacted to the development in a statement issued by his media consultant, Tukur Mamu, in Kaduna, described the court’s declaration as a mere decision taken for political expediency.

He expressed regret that the federal government has finally succumbed to media blackmail.

The statement read:

“I think the federal government has succumbed to media blackmail by a section of the country. It will not have any practical value because even before the declaration they are being fought and treated as terrorists.

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“So, it’s just a nomenclature which I believe will not change the dynamics on ground. If you can remember the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) was also declared a terrorist organisation, the declaration was even backed by the order of the court but as you can see, even the international community did not recognise the federal government’s declaration concerning IPOB. So it has failed to be effective or to achieve the desired results.

“They have not been banned from travelling to other countries. Their citizenship remains intact, it has not been denounced. So what type of declaration is that?

“I sincerely hope that Nigerians will not take the herdsmen as terrorists but should regard the criminality of the few among them against innocent people as acts of terrorism, just as we see IPOB and their attacks on security agencies and other northern citizens as acts of terrorism.

“Very few herdsmen are bandits, if you go through their population. I hope this declaration will not give the license to people to be profiling herdsmen in general as terrorists and taking laws into their hands against them.

“It will cause more mayhem. The declaration will not change anything, it will not change the dynamics. Already the military is engaging them. It didn’t stop them from kidnappings and killings.

“The declaration will not end their aggression against the society. The Fulani banditry is a socio-economic problem.

“We have seen it, we interacted widely with them. We told the federal government the way out. It can only be won through engagement, dialogue, and justice.

“That is why today there is relative peace in the Niger Delta because the government has accepted the painful reality of rehabilitating and empowering them.

“There has to be equitable distribution of wealth in Nigeria and justice for everyone.

“Fulani have suffered so much. They have lost their legitimate means of livelihood, I mean their cows through cattle rustling and extortion by security agencies.

“That has to be addressed as a means of genuine reconciliation and integration. They should have a sense of belonging.”