An Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has charged President Bola Tinubu to probe everyone who worked under former president Muhammadu Buhari and compel them to “vomit what they have stolen.”
The cleric also claimed that if the Nigerian government failed to negotiate with bandits, the Boko Haram terrorists would soon hijack them.
Gumi made the statements in an interview with the Vanguard, disclosing there was on-going negotiation between the Nigerian government and terrorists.
He said, “I heard that there were some contacts made with the bandits, but I am not part of it.”
Gumi went ahead to justify why negotiation remains the best procesa to end incessant terrorist attacks in the country.
He added: “You cannot rule out the role of the military. In fact even if you are negotiating, you will not be doing that from the standpoint of weakness.
“So, the military has a great role to play, but the military alone cannot do it because this is a socio-political issue, and the Military does not solve political problems. We have to go to the round table.
“Also, nobody can tell me the bandits do not want to sit on the table. I have sat with them, I called them, they also came to me, they told me their grievances.
“The moment fire is exchanged, while the other side is ready to sit down for talks, it will complicate the whole issue. I don’t think that is logical, they will continue to blame each other.
“You can sit and discuss the way out and broker peace which is very possible. That is the way to go.”
Gumi noted that the bandits had expressed grievances about displacement, killing, and bombardment, as well as the failure of an amnesty programme.
His said: “Luckily for us, they are not challenging government authority. That is on the positive side, but the danger is that we have terrorists that are trying to infiltrate them.
“So, we either bring them to our own side or we allow the terrorists hijack them, and certainly that will be another story.
“The Boko Haram recently ambushed Army and killed many of them. Guerilla warfare does not end like that.
“We don’t want this issue of banditry to be prolonged, we want a quick solution.
“They have not joined the religious terrorists, and when you look at their grievances, which according to them are, no school, no social amenities, no roads, they feel they should have their share of the national cake as Nigerians.
“First, we introduced violence to them and they now found it as the way.
“Secondly, they are not educated. They don’t reason like you and I do. How would you want somebody who is not schooled to reason like you?
“If you give them all the opportunity to good life, school, social amenities, etc, then if they come up with weapons we can crucify them.
“So, I will advise the government to come up with a very strong committee, that will look holistically into the problem. All stakeholders will be on the table and we iron out an action plan to solve the problem, not the political gathering like the one they did in Katsina or Zamfara. No. It has to involve every one of them and a solution will be reached.
“Also, when Buhari came in as President, I proposed to him to draw a red line and close his eyes to what happened in the past.
“But instead he continued using the institution of fighting corruption to hound and blackmail opponents.
“So, his corruption war failed. So, Tinubu should have the courage not only to deal with anyone found to be corrupt, but also bring back all those who have enriched themselves in the past government to vomit what they have stolen. They have to vomit what they have eaten.
“Nigeria is broke now, and instead of taxing the ordinary Nigerians to raise funds to run government, let the stolen money be returned and mete out appropriate punishment on them. If he can do this, I will support him 100%,” he stressed.
