Popular Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Dr. Ahmad Gumi, has met with some notorious bandits in Zamfara State and has appealed to them to repent and stop their nefarious activities.
Zamfara state
has recorded several attacks from bandits. Recall that after the Kankara school
boys were abducted, they were moved to Zamfara state where the negotiation for
their release took place before they were returned to Katsina state.
Sahara
Reporters reports that Sheik Gumi began his peace moves with visits to the
hideouts of bandits terrorizing Zaria-Giwa roads as well as Birnin Gwari area
in Kaduna State earlier in the year.
Speaking
during the meeting, top armed commanders of the bandit groups, Kachalla Turji
of Shinkafi and Kachalla Muhammadu Bello, lamented that security personnel had
killed many of their family members, with many of them losing virtually all
their possessions through cattle rustling, extortion by security agents and
military bombardments.
The
commandants say thousands of their youths do not have anything to do and that
since they have no means of livelihood, they decided to go into crime. The
bandits accused the government of not being sincere in ending instances of
banditry and kidnappings.
Responding,
the cleric asked them to cease all hostilities and allow him reach out to
President Buhari to see how their legitimate grievances could be addressed
immediately.
He told them
that they should not expect magic from him as his success would depend on the
cooperation.
He presented
them with Islamic books, including copies of the Qur’an and wrappers.
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