Islamic preacher, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has boldly called on President Bola Tinubu to initiate peace talks with bandit groups, arguing that the recent truce between Israel and Hamas demonstrates that even long-standing conflicts can be resolved through negotiation.
Speaking in Kaduna, Gumi said the government’s reliance on force has failed to end insecurity in Nigeria’s northern states. He urged a shift toward dialogue, saying, “If Israel and Hamas, after years of violence, can sit down and agree, then why can’t we talk to our own brothers in the forest?”
He insisted that negotiation, not continued military action, is the path to lasting peace.
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Gumi acknowledged the deep wounds in communities affected by banditry but argued many of the perpetrators are products of neglect, poverty, and lack of opportunity.
He proposed that any peace process should include rehabilitation, education, and economic reintegration, rather than only punitive measures.
His remarks have reignited a controversial debate: some view his approach as soft on crime or appeasement, while others see it as a pragmatic shift from endless conflict toward sustainable solutions.
The federal government has yet to respond to Gumi’s appeal.
In the meantime, bandit attacks continue unabated across several states, with recurrent reports of abductions, killings, and terrorising rural communities.
