Islamic cleric, Sheik Ahmad Gumi has appealed to the federal government to allow him dialogue with the bandits as a way of rescuing Nigerians abducted by the bandits.
Gumi urged President Bola Tinubu not to be like his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, who refused to negotiate with the bandits.
The Kaduna-based cleric said he is ready to facilitate comprehensive discussions between the federal government and bandits in order to secure the freedom of all victims in the captivity of the bandits.
Gumi also condemned the decision of the Kaduna State government not to negotiate with the bandits who recently kidnapped 287 school children from Kuriga Government Secondary and LEA Primary Schools in Chikun local government area of the state.
He recalled how negotiations were used to rescue victims of the Abuja-Kaduna train kidnap of March 28, 2022, and urged the government to allow the method to be used again.
Gumi said, “The government’s stand of no negotiation with the bandits is an unfortunate position. My advice is that the government should dialogue with the bandits not only for these Kuriga school children abductions but all the cases.
“Also, the government should use the same approach it used in releasing passengers that were abducted on Abuja – Kaduna train in 2022 to release the Kuriga school children and others,”
“I am ready to lead a holistic dialogue between the government and bandits. It is a religious duty for me to do so for peace. I hope the present government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will listen by dialoguing with the bandits because the past administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari refused to do”
