Northern Elders To Gumi: Stop Justifying Banditry

Northern elders, under the aegis of aegis of the North East
Elders for Peace and Development, have cautioned renowned Islamic
cleric, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi, against justifying armed banditry and
other associated criminality ravaging the north.

The elders expressed fear that recent comments and attitude of
the cleric could embolden the bandits.

Dissociating themselves from comments credited to Gumi where he
accused the Nigerian military of triggering the raging banditry in
parts of the North, the elders accused the fiery Islamic cleric of
making wild and unsubstantiated claims.

Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, who has been meeting with bandits
in forests across Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina and Niger states,
alleged in one of such outings that non-Muslim soldiers had carried
out orchestrated killings in some communities, precipitating
anger.

The cleric had made a similar claim on a national television
programme on Tuesday morning, maintaining the military had
allegedly carried out the said campaign between 2010 and 2015.

But reacting to the allegation, the Northern elders insisted
that Gumi’s allegations were not a representation of the position
of the region, saying the public must see same as personal
sentiments of the cleric.

Urging the general public to discountenance the allegations, the
group vouched for the professionalism and non-partisan nature of
the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

In a statement by the National Coordinator of the group, Engr.
Zana Goni, the elders vowed to resist attempts by any individual or
group to profile the military, which they maintained, remained the
most visible symbol of national unity and cohesion.

According to them, the needs for prominent groups and
organisations in the North to condemn Gumi’s dangerous claims had
become imperative, “in order not to give the impression that he was
speaking for the region”.

They argued further by his statement, Gumi may be justifying
armed banditry and all that are associated with the crime, a
development, they feared, could embolden the perpetrators.

The elders wondered why an Islamic cleric and scholar, who had
taken the initiative to discuss with bandits, will end up taking
sides, as his statements suggested.

They said: “Ordinarily, we would have commended the Sheikh for
daring to do what authorities failed but for the profiling comments
attributed to him, which we consider abhorrent and unhelpful to
national development and peace.

“We insist that our military is one of the finest in the world,
with zero-tolerance for partisanship, ethnic consideration and
other unprofessional dispositions.

“We warn that comments such as this have the potential of
pitting the exposed soldiers against general areas in the North,
where they have continued to put down their lives to protect the
territorial integrity of the nation from those that seek to violate
it.

“Our concern is further hinged on the possibility of the world
concluding that the North may be offering tacit endorsement to
banditry and associated crimes against society”.

They added: “In whatever position we find ourselves, we must, at
all material times, endeavour to put the collective interest of
Nigeria over and above all other considerations, bearing in mind
the fact that when the country collapses, it will do so on all of
us, regardless of religion, ethnicity, or belief.

“Lastly, we urge Gumi to stop approbating and reprobating at the
same time, and to immediately call-off his mission, if he has
developed lethargy in the course of undertaking visits to deep
forests”.

Northern elders, under the aegis of aegis of the North East
Elders for Peace and Development, have cautioned renowned Islamic
cleric, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi, against justifying armed banditry and
other associated criminality ravaging the north.

The elders expressed fear that recent comments and attitude of
the cleric could embolden the bandits.

Dissociating themselves from comments credited to Gumi where he
accused the Nigerian military of triggering the raging banditry in
parts of the North, the elders accused the fiery Islamic cleric of
making wild and unsubstantiated claims.

Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, who has been meeting with bandits
in forests across Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina and Niger states,
alleged in one of such outings that non-Muslim soldiers had carried
out orchestrated killings in some communities, precipitating
anger.

The cleric had made a similar claim on a national television
programme on Tuesday morning, maintaining the military had
allegedly carried out the said campaign between 2010 and 2015.

But reacting to the allegation, the Northern elders insisted
that Gumi’s allegations were not a representation of the position
of the region, saying the public must see same as personal
sentiments of the cleric.

Urging the general public to discountenance the allegations, the
group vouched for the professionalism and non-partisan nature of
the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

In a statement by the National Coordinator of the group, Engr.
Zana Goni, the elders vowed to resist attempts by any individual or
group to profile the military, which they maintained, remained the
most visible symbol of national unity and cohesion.

According to them, the needs for prominent groups and
organisations in the North to condemn Gumi’s dangerous claims had
become imperative, “in order not to give the impression that he was
speaking for the region”.

They argued further by his statement, Gumi may be justifying
armed banditry and all that are associated with the crime, a
development, they feared, could embolden the perpetrators.

The elders wondered why an Islamic cleric and scholar, who had
taken the initiative to discuss with bandits, will end up taking
sides, as his statements suggested.

They said: “Ordinarily, we would have commended the Sheikh for
daring to do what authorities failed but for the profiling comments
attributed to him, which we consider abhorrent and unhelpful to
national development and peace.

“We insist that our military is one of the finest in the world,
with zero-tolerance for partisanship, ethnic consideration and
other unprofessional dispositions.

“We warn that comments such as this have the potential of
pitting the exposed soldiers against general areas in the North,
where they have continued to put down their lives to protect the
territorial integrity of the nation from those that seek to violate
it.

“Our concern is further hinged on the possibility of the world
concluding that the North may be offering tacit endorsement to
banditry and associated crimes against society”.

They added: “In whatever position we find ourselves, we must, at
all material times, endeavour to put the collective interest of
Nigeria over and above all other considerations, bearing in mind
the fact that when the country collapses, it will do so on all of
us, regardless of religion, ethnicity, or belief.

“Lastly, we urge Gumi to stop approbating and reprobating at the
same time, and to immediately call-off his mission, if he has
developed lethargy in the course of undertaking visits to deep
forests”.