Ahmad Gumi, an Islamic cleric residing in Kaduna, has acknowledged receiving an invitation from security forces due to remarks he made on banditry.
Tuesday, hours after Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information, said that security forces had called Gumi, the Islamic cleric shared on social media that he was in contact with security services regarding ways to stop the dangerous banditry trend.
The minister had declared that Gumi will face consequences if proven guilty and that no one is above the law.
Gumi said, “Last night I got many frantic calls from well-wishers and journalists about a news item that I was interviewed by security,” in his article titled, “Only one person is above the law: the innocent.” There’s really nothing to be concerned about.
Yes, we had a fruitful discussion about how to stop banditry as we are all working to confront the problem that plagues the country, each in our own unique way.
“There was mutual respect and politeness instead of hostility. To establish an enduring peace, the citizens of this country must come together and cooperate.
When Gumi declared last week that security forces had no authority to label any Nigerian as a financier of terrorism, he provoked yet another dispute with them. The preacher had responded to a list released by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) that identified 14 people, including his close colleague and publisher Tukur Mamu of Kaduna, as sponsors of terrorism.
In addition, the cleric had volunteered to bargain with the bandits in order to secure the release of the 137 students who had been kidnapped on March 7, 2024, by roving bandits in Kaduna State from the Chikun Local Government Area.
In addition, Gumi had suggested that the government engage in talks with the bandits. However, Uba Sani, the governor of Kaduna State and the minister, maintained that no ransom was paid in exchange for the schoolchildren’s release, and that Gumi had nothing to do with the safe return of the kidnapped Kuriga students.