Kaduna-based Muslim cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has expressed his willingness to engage in dialogue with bandits who abducted approximately 287 schoolchildren from Kuriga Government Secondary and LEA Primary Schools in the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Sheikh Gumi aims to facilitate the release of the abducted schoolchildren if given the opportunity by President Bola Tinubu to negotiate.
Gumi emphasized the importance of dialogue with bandits, citing the refusal of former President Muhammadu Buhari to engage in such discussions as a mistake that should not be repeated.
He urged Tinubu not to follow the same path and to consider dialogue as a means to secure the release of the abducted children.
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The abduction occurred shortly after insurgents kidnapped 200 internally displaced women in Ngala, Borno State, while they were fetching firewood.
The incident added to the growing insecurity in the region, prompting concerns from various quarters.
Despite the government’s reluctance to negotiate with the bandits and its denial of hiring a private negotiator, Gumi reiterated the necessity of dialogue for the release of the abducted victims.
He offered to lead discussions between the government and the bandits, emphasizing the importance of peaceful resolution.
Gumi has previously been involved in negotiating the release of abducted individuals by bandits, and he has received both commendation and criticism for his efforts.
However, he remains committed to using dialogue as a means to address the prevailing insecurity in the country.
