• Says poor education funding fueling insecurity
• Accuses interest groups of targeting Nigeria
![image](/2021/04/lawyers-forum.jpg")
An Islamic leader, Sheik Ahmad Gumi has blamed the rising spate
of banditry, kidnapping and insecurity nationwide on the failure of
governments at all levels to fund the education sector in line with
the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation
(UNESCO).
![image](/2021/01/payne-alex.jpg")
Gumi, however, challenged the federal government to embrace
former President Jonathan Goodluck’s approach to security
challenges by educating young Fulanis that resorted to
criminalities due to poverty and unemployment.
Gumi made this recommendation at a virtual policy dialogue
organised by the Nigerian Global Affairs Council (NIGAC), a digital
media-driven and evidence-based think-tank focusing on governance
and public policy.
NiGAC’s national virtual policy dialogue affords Nigerians and
its leaders the opportunity to examine critical issues affecting
national development.
During the dialogue, the Islamic leader urged Nigeria to see
security challenges as a social problem, which according to him,
could not be solved by military prowess.
He explained that it was time for sociologists, criminologists
and psychologists in the country to come together and understand
how to resolve the menace.
He, however, attributed insecurity in the country to poor
funding of the education sector in breach of the 26% budget
allocation that the United Nations Educational Scientific and
Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) recommended for every country.
He, also, said: “Nigeria is a target of many different
international interest groups. For us who have been in the
military, we go to the bush; we do exercises in the bush, you never
get attacked and in fact you do not fear Fulani men.
“So, what has suddenly changed? These are the questions I think
sociologists, criminologists and psychologists should all put their
heads together and see a way out. But it is not by force that we
can subdue these people. I do not see that.”
On how to solve the problem, the cleric advocated the need “to
improve funding in the education sector of the country. The
standard by the United Nations is that education should have about
15 to 20 percent of the budget.
“In Nigeria, it is about nine to 10%. We are not spending much
on education and human capital development at large. We have
entirely forgotten the Human Development Index (HDI). That is
exactly what we are suffering from.
“This kidnapping and banditry you see is committed by people who
are stack illiterate. They are not educated at all. Most of them
have never been to schools. They know nothing. They are always on
drugs.
“And there are so many in numbers. If you want to cure it you
have to solve it as a social problem not as a military problem, the
military cannot solve it,” the Islamic leader explained.
Gumi, therefore, urged the administration of President Muhammadu
Buhari to embrace former President Jonathan Goodluck’s approach to
security challenges.
The Islamic leader noted that the federal government “should
just accept Jonathan’s approach. Jonathan’s principle is the only
solution. Let us educate these Fulani people because without
education, we are wasting our time.”
• Says poor education funding fueling insecurity
• Accuses interest groups of targeting Nigeria
An Islamic leader, Sheik Ahmad Gumi has blamed the rising spate
of banditry, kidnapping and insecurity nationwide on the failure of
governments at all levels to fund the education sector in line with
the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation
(UNESCO).
Gumi, however, challenged the federal government to embrace
former President Jonathan Goodluck’s approach to security
challenges by educating young Fulanis that resorted to
criminalities due to poverty and unemployment.
Gumi made this recommendation at a virtual policy dialogue
organised by the Nigerian Global Affairs Council (NIGAC), a digital
media-driven and evidence-based think-tank focusing on governance
and public policy.
NiGAC’s national virtual policy dialogue affords Nigerians and
its leaders the opportunity to examine critical issues affecting
national development.
During the dialogue, the Islamic leader urged Nigeria to see
security challenges as a social problem, which according to him,
could not be solved by military prowess.
He explained that it was time for sociologists, criminologists
and psychologists in the country to come together and understand
how to resolve the menace.
He, however, attributed insecurity in the country to poor
funding of the education sector in breach of the 26% budget
allocation that the United Nations Educational Scientific and
Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) recommended for every country.
He, also, said: “Nigeria is a target of many different
international interest groups. For us who have been in the
military, we go to the bush; we do exercises in the bush, you never
get attacked and in fact you do not fear Fulani men.
“So, what has suddenly changed? These are the questions I think
sociologists, criminologists and psychologists should all put their
heads together and see a way out. But it is not by force that we
can subdue these people. I do not see that.”
On how to solve the problem, the cleric advocated the need “to
improve funding in the education sector of the country. The
standard by the United Nations is that education should have about
15 to 20 percent of the budget.
“In Nigeria, it is about nine to 10%. We are not spending much
on education and human capital development at large. We have
entirely forgotten the Human Development Index (HDI). That is
exactly what we are suffering from.
“This kidnapping and banditry you see is committed by people who
are stack illiterate. They are not educated at all. Most of them
have never been to schools. They know nothing. They are always on
drugs.
“And there are so many in numbers. If you want to cure it you
have to solve it as a social problem not as a military problem, the
military cannot solve it,” the Islamic leader explained.
Gumi, therefore, urged the administration of President Muhammadu
Buhari to embrace former President Jonathan Goodluck’s approach to
security challenges.
The Islamic leader noted that the federal government “should
just accept Jonathan’s approach. Jonathan’s principle is the only
solution. Let us educate these Fulani people because without
education, we are wasting our time.”