Controversial Kaduna-based cleric, Ahmad Gumi, has urged the Nigerian government to engage terrorists in dialogue, arguing that military force alone cannot end insurgency.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, he warned that sustained military offensives often trigger retaliatory attacks on vulnerable civilians, saying, “When terrorists are targeted, they often retaliate by attacking the most vulnerable populations, the very people the government is meant to protect”.
He added that civilians frequently suffer as collateral damage, stressing, “Thus, the same group ends up bearing the consequences from both sides”.
Gumi maintained that understanding the root causes of terrorism is crucial, noting, “A common question is: What do these terrorists actually want?”.
He argued that asking this question lies at the heart of resolving the crisis, insisting, “What violence creates, violence alone cannot resolve”.
He drew parallels with engagements between the United States and Iran as an example of dialogue in conflict situations.
His remarks come amid the ongoing insurgency by Boko Haram, which has waged a violent campaign across parts of northern Nigeria since 2009. The cleric has also previously called for amnesty for fighters, comparing them to Niger Delta militants pardoned under former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, while criticising recent military strikes as counterproductive and capable of worsening tensions.
