Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has defended his controversial outreach to bandit groups, insisting that his visits are not covert operations. Speaking at the 2025 Southwest Muslims Ulama Summit held at the University of Ibadan, the Kaduna-based cleric said he is always accompanied by security personnel and government officials whenever he enters bandit-controlled territories.
Gumi explained that his interactions with armed groups are part of an effort to understand the factors driving insecurity and to create opportunities for education and rehabilitation. According to him, public criticism of his approach is largely the result of years of misunderstanding and inaccurate portrayals in the media.
“When I go to meet them, I don’t go alone. I move with police officers and government representatives. It is never a one-man effort,” he said.
The cleric argued that widespread insecurity, particularly in the North, persists because millions of young people, especially herders, have been left without education or meaningful economic opportunities. He described this neglect as a major fuel for criminality. To illustrate his point, he said that isolating people in the bush with cattle and no exposure to the outside world would inevitably affect their development and behaviour. “Without education, you cannot expect any productive outcome,” he added.
Gumi said his decision to visit bandits directly was driven by a desire to address the crisis from its roots, even though his methods have become controversial. He noted that his attempts to open lines of communication with the groups have often been met with hostility and false narratives online. “Each time my name comes up, I face waves of attacks, all based on misrepresentation,” he said.
Despite the criticism, he expressed solidarity with scholars at the summit, noting that although he does not understand Yoruba, he could sense that their concerns align with his position on insecurity, peacebuilding, and social challenges faced by Muslims in the region.
