Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has renewed calls for the Federal Government to consider dialogue with Boko Haram insurgents and armed bandits, arguing that a similar strategy helped restore peace in the Niger Delta.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, Gumi questioned why the approach previously used to engage Niger Delta militants has not been extended to address the security challenges in northern Nigeria.
The cleric cited the peace initiatives implemented under former President Goodluck Jonathan and supported by former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, noting that direct engagement with militant groups contributed to reducing violence and attacks on oil facilities in the region.
According to Gumi, the visits by both leaders to the Niger Delta and the programmes introduced afterward played a significant role in restoring stability.
He argued that a similar effort should be explored in dealing with Boko Haram and armed bandits, asking why attempts at dialogue with such groups often attract criticism.
Gumi has consistently maintained that military operations alone cannot permanently resolve insurgency and banditry in the North-West and North-East. Over the years, he has visited several bandit camps, saying his objective was to encourage peaceful dialogue, understand the grievances of the groups, and facilitate the release of kidnapped victims.
His stance, however, continues to divide public opinion.
Supporters believe negotiations could help reduce violence and secure the freedom of captives, while critics argue that engaging terrorists and bandits risks rewarding criminal activity and denying justice to victims.
The cleric has repeatedly denied allegations of supporting terrorism, insisting that his advocacy is aimed at finding peaceful and lasting solutions to Nigeria’s security challenges.
Gumi’s comments also renewed attention to the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme introduced by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2009 and later sustained by the Jonathan administration.
The initiative offered former militants amnesty, vocational training, monthly stipends, and reintegration support in exchange for surrendering their weapons, a policy widely credited with reducing attacks on oil installations and improving security in the region.
Jonathan had previously visited the Niger Delta as vice president in 2007, where he met former militant leader Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo. He later described the engagement as one of the steps that paved the way for the amnesty programme.
Likewise, Osinbajo, while serving as acting president in 2017, toured several Niger Delta communities, holding discussions with traditional rulers, community leaders, and former militants. He defended the engagement by stating that dialogue and development were essential in addressing the region’s concerns.
Gumi’s latest remarks are expected to reignite national debate over whether Nigeria should continue relying mainly on military operations or adopt broader political and non-military strategies to address terrorism and banditry.
