Sheik Gumi asks FG to give bandits ‘blanket amnesty’

An Islamic cleric and scholar, Ahmad Gumi, has called on the Federal Government to give bandits willing to make peace ‘blanket amnesty.’

This is coming after Sheikh Ahmad Gumi met with the kidnappers of Government Science Secondary School in Kagara student’s at Tagina forest in Niger State on Thursday, February 18.

He said after the meeting;

“The Federal government should give them blanket amnesty, then if somebody continues, then we will deal with them,”

He explained that some of the complaints of the bandits are that they were being killed and maimed unjustly.

“The outcome (of his visit) is very positive. We have many factions and each faction is saying I have complaints and grievances – we are persecuted, we are arrested, we are lynched -,” the cleric said, quoting the bandits.

Speaking concerning his discussion during his secret visit to the bandits, Sheik Gumi said there is a positive response from the bandits who are holding the Kagara school students and their staff captive.

He, however, did not state if the students have been released.