Sheikh Gumi Questions Lack of Direct Dialogue with Northern Armed Groups

Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has questioned why the current administration has not sent government representatives to engage Boko Haram insurgents and bandits in direct peace talks, drawing comparisons to past federal interventions with Niger Delta militants.

In a statement posted to social media, Gumi referenced previous diplomatic efforts, noting that former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo directly visited militant leaders in the Niger Delta creeks to establish dialogue and develop peace programs for the region. He questioned why similar high-level visits and structured negotiation attempts have not been extended to armed groups operating in the North-West and North-East to curb ongoing violence.

The Presidential Amnesty Programme, initiated in 2009 under former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and sustained under President Jonathan, involved disarming militants in exchange for stipends, vocational training, and reintegration. Similarly, in 2017, then-Acting President Osinbajo toured oil-producing communities to engage local leaders and de-escalate tensions.

Gumi, a retired military officer, has long advocated for non-military interventions, arguing that dialogue, rehabilitation, and addressing underlying grievances offer a more sustainable path to ending mass kidnappings and insecurity in the region. While his previous visits to bandit camps in states such as Zamfara have drawn public criticism from those who argue that negotiating legitimizes criminal acts, he maintains that non-military engagement remains necessary alongside security operations.