I’ll no longer interface with bandits since they’ve been declared terrorists, says Gumi

An Islamic cleric Ahmad Gumi has said he would no longer interface with bandits until “the political situation changes”.

The Federal High Court in Abuja had declared bandit groups as terrorists.

Gumi, who had asked for amnesty for the bandits, said in an interview with Premium Times that he no longer had anything to do with them.

He said: “Since the Federal Government has declared them terrorists, I don’t have anything to do with them anymore.

“I will not like to expose myself to danger again and to put a spotlight on myself unnecessarily.

“I have tried all I could do to admonish the nation on the best way to do it, but it seems my advice has fallen on deaf ears.

“I have endangered my life for peace by going to the forest and engaging the bandits.

“Among them, there are rock bandits, they are dangerous, armed ready to fire.

“It is dangerous, but still we risked our lives to see that we bring peace to this nation.

“Somebody has to take that risk and we took it and thanked God we came out safely and knowledgeable, knowing how to come about this issue.

“Maybe in the future when the political situation changes for the better, we can do it again so that there will be peace, harmony and tranquillity in the country.” (Text, excluding headline, courtesy The Nation)