Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has stirred fresh controversy after arguing that the abduction of schoolchildren is a “lesser evil” when compared with killing security personnel.
The outspoken Muslim cleric insisted that dialogue with bandit groups remains the only realistic path to preventing further loss of life.
Gumi made the remark during an interview on Tuesday shared online, where he repeated his long-standing position that Nigeria cannot defeat banditry through force alone.
According to him, negotiating with the armed groups may not be ideal, but it is sometimes the only option that prevents bloodshed.
He stressed that while kidnapping is undeniably wrong, it does not carry the same weight as murder — particularly in cases where victims eventually return home alive.
“Saying that kidnapping children is a lesser evil than killing your soldiers, definitely is lesser. Killing is worse than, but they are all evil. It’s just a lesser evil. Not all evils are of the same power.”
Gumi pointed to previous episodes, such as the mass abduction in Kebbi State, where he noted that all the students were released without being killed.
He claimed such outcomes show that negotiations can help prevent fatalities if government approaches the issue practically.
“So it’s a lesser evil than, like, what happened in Kebbi. They abducted children, and they were released. They didn’t kill them.”
Ongoing Kidnappings in Niger State
The cleric’s comments come at a tense moment. More than 315 persons — mostly students — were recently seized in Niger State.
So far, authorities have confirmed the release of part of the victims, with others escaping earlier during the ordeal.
When asked what message he would give to parents going through the trauma of waiting for their children, Gumi simply responded that kidnapping is “an evil” and prayed for their safe return.
Why Gumi Insists on Negotiation
Gumi again defended his view that engaging bandit groups is unavoidable, saying the idea that government “does not negotiate” has no basis.
“That word [‘we don’t negotiate’], I don’t know where they got it from. It’s not in the Bible. It’s not in the Quran. In fact, it’s not even in practice. Everybody’s negotiating with outlaws, non-state actors… We negotiate for peace and our strategic interests. If negotiation will bring stoppage to bloodshed, we will do it.”
He explained that his previous outreach missions to forest camps were not undercover operations.
According to him, he always went with security officials and the media, and the purpose was to open channels of communication.
The cleric also disclosed that his final engagement with bandit commanders happened in 2021. He claimed he made intense efforts to bring different factions to one table, but the federal authorities at the time did not show strong interest in the initiative.
Once the groups were officially labelled as terrorist organisations, he said he ended all communication immediately.
Military Effort Alone Cannot End the Crisis
Speaking on Nigeria’s wider insecurity, Gumi argued that the armed forces are overstretched. He insisted that even senior military leaders privately acknowledge that force alone cannot deliver long-term peace.
“We need a strong army,” he said, “but the military itself admits that the bulk of this crisis — the politics, the community issues, the governance failures — is not in their hands.”
Most Bandits Are Herdsmen, Not Urban Fulani
Gumi also emphasised that most bandits operating in the forests are Fulani herders, not the Fulani living in towns or cities.
According to him, many of the fighters see their actions as part of a struggle for survival linked to cattle, inheritance, and livelihood.
“They see cattle as life itself,” he explained, adding that a clear distinction must be maintained to avoid amplifying ethnic tensions.
Summarily, Gumi’s latest statement has intensified the debate about how government should approach banditry — with some Nigerians strongly rejecting negotiation and others saying that a mix of force, intelligence and dialogue may be necessary in certain cases.
