School Abduction: Gumi Intends To Negotiate With Bandits

Posted by Nwa Diokpa Featured, Latest Headlines Tuesday, March 12th, 2024

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Controversial Kaduna-based Muslim cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has stated that he intends to dialogue with bandits who abducted about 287 schoolchildren from Kuriga Government Secondary and LEA Primary Schools in the Chikun Local Government Area of the state.

Gumi disclosed this so that the release of the abducted schoolchildren will be looked into if President Bola Tinubu gives him the opportunity to negotiate.

According to the cleric, President Tinubu must not make the same mistake made by former President Muhammadu Buhari, who refused to dialogue with bandits.

It could be recalled that bandits attacked Kuriga area of the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, shooting at their victims before going away with at least 280 of the pupils and teachers from both schools.

The incident happened 24 hours after insurgents abducted 200 internally displaced women in Borno State.

The women were abducted in Ngala, the headquarters of Gambarou Ngala in Borno State when they were fetching firewood in the bush.

The Kaduna State government has refused to dialogue with the bandits to release the schoolchildren and has also denied claims of hiring a private negotiator to facilitate the release of the victims.

Reacting, Gumi in a statement 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’s abductions but all cases.

“Also, the government should use the same approach it used in releasing passengers that were abducted on the 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 my religious duty 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 so.”

The African Examiner recalls that Gumi had previously negotiated on behalf of state governments to free abducted people by bandits.