Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has defended his advocacy for a non-kinetic approach to insecurity in Nigeria, stating that he will lead calls for the release of the convicted leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, if Kanu demonstrates remorse.
Kanu was convicted of seven counts of terrorism by the Federal High Court in Abuja. However, Gumi asserted that if the IPOB leader shows genuine remorse for his actions and statements, he would join those advocating for his pardon.
“This Kanu, who was imprisoned for terrorism for calling for the killing of our soldiers, if he now shows remorse and calls for peace, I will certainly be at the forefront of those advocating for his pardon and amnesty,” he said on Tuesday’s edition of Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.
“Look, our former president Shagari, from the same town as I am, granted amnesty to Ojukwu. Likewise, Umar Yar’Adua granted amnesty to the Niger Delta militants, who also committed acts of terrorism. This is how we operate.”
Gumi, who has been a prominent voice urging the government to adopt a non-kinetic strategy for resolving security issues, particularly in northern Nigeria, believes this approach would benefit the country.
He argued, “Since we have individuals willing to lay down their arms, why must we insist on a kinetic solution?”
“Even America could not succeed in Afghanistan, and Israel has struggled in a small strip of land. Our army is not equipped to handle guerrilla warfare; no army is designed for the kind of challenges we are currently facing,” he remarked on the breakfast show.
“If you’ve been paying attention, the Fulani herdsmen have been calling for peace. However, when you invite them for peace, they often arrive armed for various reasons,” Gumi noted.
“Can you invite IPOB to peace talks? What about Boko Haram? I believe the former president attempted to call for peace, and they responded, but now it’s much more challenging to call for peace again. So, anyone inclined towards peace has my support, I assure you.”
His remarks come amid increasing insecurity in the country, with mass abductions of schoolchildren and worshippers occurring in several states over the past few weeks, raising alarms about national safety.
President Bola Tinubu has instructed security forces to pursue the assailants, but opposition figures have criticised his government’s response to the situation, labelling it inadequate.
