Photo: illustrative purpose only
Salihu Lukman, the director-general of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), has slammed Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, a prominent Islamic cleric, over a recent remark.
The PGF is a forum of governors elected on the ruling All Progressives Congress's platform.
According to reliable source, Gumi claimed on Monday that if Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari declares bandits to be terrorists, Nigeria will cease to exist as a sovereign and united entity.
Gumi argued that once the bandits are labeled as terrorists, direct international Jihadist movements will take effect, giving "criminality a spiritual cover and removing the stigma of discrediting them with such acts because they are now fighting a 'Jihad,' as they will claim."
In a statement released on Thursday, Lukman called Gumi's attitude "irresponsible," claiming that bandits share features with terrorists.
“Ironically, apologists and self-appointed counsellors to the bandits, such as Sheikh Ahmed Gumi, are becoming more confident, and are foolishly mobilizing opposition to calling bandits terrorists,” the DG stated.
“All insecurity investigations have shown that the bandits operating in the northwest and north-central parts of the country have all the features of terrorist groups.
For example, according to a study presented at the 15th Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto Seminar Series on Thursday, September 9, 2021, titled ‘I am a Bandit – A Decade of Research in Zamfara State Bandit's Den,' bandits are armed groups with ‘contacts across the Sahel, particularly Libya and Mali,' ‘huge capital,' and ‘in possession of more than 500 AK 47 guns.' According to the research, "in the north-west alone, there are approximately 60,000 firearms in circulation."
Lukman went on to say that the ruling party must be able to control information in such a way that it does not exacerbate the country's problems.
“How well the APC can assist the reform of the country's information management institutions in order to successfully mobilize Nigerians to support government programs will determine the party's electoral viability,” Lukman added.
"If the APC continues to allow speculative and false national debates, such as the issue of an unfounded agreement between Nigeria and the US government on the use of newly acquired A-29 Super Tucano jets, it is indicative of a weak communication management framework, which may only exacerbate the country's challenges."
According to him, the country's current security difficulties are the result of the country's educational system collapsing.
Source: Sahara reporters