Sheikh Gumi, a popular Islamic cleric, has reacted angrily to those clamoring for his arrest for his ongoing commentary on banditry and national security.
For years, the Islamic cleric has positioned himself as a go-between for the government and bandit organizations, earning both public favor and condemnation.
Some of his adversaries have accused him of protecting bandits and terrorists by urging the government to talk with them rather than using full force.
In a statement posted on Facebook on Sunday, the cleric defended his interactions with the gunman, referring to his opponents as “spineless, irresponsible, and unpatriotic imbecilic people” who favor fury over facts.
Gumi rejected the growing calls for his arrest, arguing that he had committed no crime by negotiating with robbers to keep the peace.
He claimed that the loudest voices requesting that he be apprehended by security authorities are motivated by bigotry, ignorance, and intolerance for opposing opinions.
“ARREST HIM!!! These are the only words some spineless, irresponsible, and unpatriotic imbecilic people can utter,” he wrote, arguing that his critics have chosen to politicize his peace efforts rather than reflect on Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.
“I was at Sabon Garin Yadi forest, accompanied by the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police… This meeting was part of a peace initiative where we preached to over 600 bandits and their commanders, who agreed to lay down their arms in exchange for security and basic amenities,” he said.
The clergyman emphasized that the negotiations were transparent, legitimate, and carried out with the agreement and knowledge of the authorities.
He emphasized that the bandits’ demands for basic amenities, protection from arbitrary arrests, and assurances of safety were never met by the government, resulting in the collapse of the peace window.
He expressed dissatisfaction that, rather than questioning why the authorities failed to implement agreed-upon conditions, some Nigerians chose to target him personally.
“The purpose of the meeting was an effort to de-escalate violence by having bandits surrender their weapons and embrace peace.
“The outcome was that over 600 bandits agreed to lay down their arms. They presented conditions to the government… None fulfilled,” he said.
Gumi questioned why his mediation efforts, which he claimed were conducted in the national interest, should result in calls for his arrest.
“So, what is there to arrest for? For calling them to lay down arms or amenities for them, or to educate the nation on their side of the story?” he asked.
He also mocked his detractors’ hypocrisy, saying that free speech is a constitutional privilege and that opposing views should not be criminalized.
“Is free speech no longer part of our constitutional right? Is their call for arrest not also prejudiced and an incitement to more violence?” he queried.
He urged Nigerians to rise above what he called emotional reactions and consider practical approaches to ending the banditry crisis, warning that hate-driven narratives only worsen insecurity.
According to him, silencing voices who demand dialogue does nothing to solve the underlying socioeconomic and security issues that feed insurgency and rural banditry.
Gumi ended with a prayer for national unity, citing bigotry and intolerance as key threats to peace.
“May Allah protect our nation from bigotry and stubborn and complete intolerance of contrary views and opinions,” he wrote.
