Prominent Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has warned
against jeopardising ongoing peace agreements between communities in Katsina
State and leaders of bandit groups.
Gumi, a long-time advocate of dialogue as a pathway to
ending banditry, restated his position following recent peace talks in Matazu,
Faskari, and Sabuwa local government areas, where several wanted bandit kingpins
were reportedly present.
In a post on his Facebook page on Saturday, he urged both
government and security agencies to protect the fragile truce, advising that
armed groups be treated with the same reintegration approach once adopted for
Niger Delta militants.
“Alhamdulillah. News has come that today, Sabuwa Local
Government has also held a peace settlement with the bandits in the forests to
establish peace throughout the entire local government area… May the security
agencies avoid destroying this peace agreement but instead teach them how to
live in peace, just as was done with the Niger Delta militants,” he wrote.
But former senator and rights activist, Shehu Sani, has
strongly criticised the initiative, arguing that dialogue with notorious bandits
only emboldens them.
Sani said past peace deals in Katsina and Zamfara collapsed
despite interventions from mediators, including Sheikh Gumi, leaving
communities more vulnerable.
“Bandits who have killed thousands, kidnapped innocent
people, and raped women should not be rewarded with dialogue. They should be
prosecuted or outrightly eliminated,” he said, stressing that justice,
non-negotiations, is the only sustainable solution.
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