Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has again stated that declaring bandits as terrorist group won’t change anything.
The Muslim scholar said this in a statement by Malam Tukur Mamu, the Dan-Iyan Fika and Media Consultant to Sheikh Gumi.
According to him, the federal government succumbing to media blackmail to name them terrorists will not have any practical value because even before the declaration, bandits are being fought and treated as terrorists.
Using IPOB as a case study, Sheikh Gumi noted that just like bandits, the group was declared a terrorist group but it has failed to be effective or to achieve the desired result since the international community did not recognize FG’s declaration of IPOB.
He said;
“I think the Federal Government has succumbed to media blackmail by a section of the country. It will not have any practical value because even before the declaration they are being fought and treated as terrorists.”
“So it’s just a nomenclature which I believe will not change the dynamics on ground.
“If you can remember IPOB was also declared a terrorist organisation, the declaration was even backed by the order of the Court but as you can see even the international community did not recognise FG’s declaration of IPOB. So it has failed to be effective or to achieve the desired results.”
“They have not been ban from travelling to other countries while their citizenship remains intact, it has not been denounced. So what type of declaration is that?
I sincerely hope that Nigerians will not take the herdsmen as terrorists but should regard the criminality of the few among them against innocent people as acts of terrorism just as we see IPOB and their attacks on security agencies and other northern citizens as acts of terrorism.
Very few herdsmen are bandits if you go through their population.”
CREDIT: Lindaikejiblog
ALSO READ: UPDATE: We have so far killed more than a dozen armed bandits, see full story.
