Why bandits say they can’t stop killing – Gumi

Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has said some bandits he interacted with expressed dissatisfaction with the continued bloodshed in the country, claiming they felt compelled to sustain attacks because of killings in their communities.

Gumi said the armed men viewed the violence as a cycle of revenge and retaliation.

He added that some believed they could be killed if they abandoned their activities.

The cleric disclosed this during an interview on PAPShow, published on October 29, with clips of the interview going viral on social media on Tuesday.

According to him, one of the bandits he spoke with admitted that the bloodshed had become excessive, although members of the group believed they had been forced into continued violence.

“One of the bandits was telling us the bloodshed is too much,” Gumi said.

He added, “They, too, are not happy. And they say they are forced to do it.”

Explaining the grievances expressed by the armed men, Gumi said they complained that military operations initially presented as efforts to tackle cattle rustling had resulted in the killing of women and children in their communities.

He recalled asking why the military killed women and children during the operations.

“But why did they kill their women and children? Why are they killing their women and children? Why are the vigilantes arresting them and killing them? Why?” he quoted the bandits as asking.

Gumi said the armed men considered the violence a cycle of revenge arising from attacks on their communities.

“So, they feel it’s a field of blood, revenge, attack and counterattack,” he said.

He argued that the continued killings made dialogue necessary, saying religious leaders had a responsibility to encourage both sides to embrace negotiations.

“So, we, as clergy, our own duty is to look at how to stop it. Let’s stop the bloodshed. Let’s come to the table,” he said.

When the interviewer asked why the bandits could not simply stop their activities, Gumi said they feared being killed if they surrendered or abandoned violence.

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“Because they thought they were killed. So, we need to reaffirm to them, to put confidence in them that they will not be killed,” he said.

The cleric also alleged that the proliferation of weapons among armed groups was being fuelled by financial support and an arms race between rival factions.

Asked whether some individuals were sponsoring the bandits, he said, “It’s possible now. You know, it’s possible now.”

He explained that money received by the groups was sometimes used to acquire more weapons because different factions competed to possess superior firepower.

“They buy more weapons because there’s an arms race between them. You know, there are different groups.

“There’s an arms race. So, this den has more machine guns than this one. So, they should fear them,” he said.

On how the armed groups obtained their weapons, Gumi said they relied on illegal markets.

“Well, it’s a black market, like drugs. It’s a black market. If you just have the money, you get them,” he said.

He further alleged that foreign intelligence agencies could be involved in the supply of weapons to armed groups, although he did not provide evidence to support the claim.

“Foreign intelligence definitely have a hand in it,” he said.

When asked whether foreign countries could be arming Nigerian bandits and terrorists, Gumi replied, “It’s possible,” adding that any country interested in Nigeria could potentially be behind such activities.

He, however, did not provide evidence to support the allegation.

Banditry has remained a major security challenge in northern Nigeria, particularly in the North-West, where armed groups have carried out killings, kidnappings and attacks on rural communities.

Gumi has held engagements with some of the groups, advocating dialogue and negotiations to end the violence, an approach that has attracted criticism from Nigerians who argue that negotiating with bandits could undermine efforts to hold them accountable.