DR. GUMI'S MOVES TO MEDIATE NIGERIA WITH BORORO FULANI BANDITS A GOOD RIDDANCE.

MY OPINION ON DR. AHMAD GUMI PEACE MEDIATION WITH BANDITS

"BREAKING: Islamic Cleric, Sheikh Gummi, meets some of the most notorious bandits in Zamfara State on his peace mediation efforts to end banditry in Northern region. Some of the bandits leaders are Kachalla Turji of Shinkafi/Sokoto Axis and Kachalla Muhammadu Bello among others".

 Angrily, some apologist of the ruling party were pertinent and perturbed by the display of valour of the Kaduna Based cleric, it has been on the News for the past weeks that Dr. Ahmad Gumi took unto himself a risk task of reaching the remotes areas where it has been identified as a 'no go' areas for ordinary people as well as Security operatives. A Bandits dens, to preach the chronicle of peace, a message from Islam. One can predict the motive behind Dr. Gumi's moves and frankly speaking, those of us that views the move as non partisan applaud the man for his foresight to at least bring to an end the banditry bedevelling the North West Nigeria.

Meeting the most fearsome heads of Bandits gave a surprising scenario to many People, and to the antagonist view, Gumi must be investigated by the authorities. Some one opined that, since Gumi is an Atukilated, the recent moves to meet the Bandits was a deliberate and treasonable, hence there must be a connection politically to coaxe the President and bring hickup to his administration, a Political view of many Gumi opposition.

But to me it is no longer a new thing in Nigeria to have someone to reach  separatist for peace accord. Late President Umar Yar'adua did the same to the Niger Delta Terrorist that were once making Newspaper headlines with their massive economic sabotage, groups of aggrieved Young people from South South took arms against the State and caused mayhem on the NIGERIA'S economy, they killed, kidnapped people (oil workers for ransome) and destroyed pipelines that hindered NIGERIA'S output of crude oil. Late President Yar'adua extended that hands of amnesty to the surrendered  Militants (Bandits of the Niger Delta) till date, there is a special allocation in the National budget  granted to them as (amnesty payment) token to appreciate their surrender.

Dr. Ahmad Gumi I believe was thinking the same on the basis of Islamic law, to reach out to the (aggrieved Fulani herdsmen) Bandits, preach to them the gospel of importance of peace and probably extend the invitation to government for a truce to seize fire and have a lasting peace in the region, perhaps a similar amnesty to the Fulani herdsmen that took arms on basis of loosing their herds that eventually caused and prompt them to took arms against the State.

Some people believe Dr. Gumi has over stretched his height by choosing to be on the side of the Bandits, some even call for his head, calling authorities to arrest and investigate him, they even asked questions of how does Dr. Gumi got the contacts of the bandits and get to know their actual location as seen in many pictures posted on both print and electronic media, social media in particular. They claimed that Dr. Gumi must be accomplice to all the happenings in the North. Some were even saying why can't Gumi did the same to Boko Haram in the Sambisa?

Well, there is much disparity between the two, I may be wrong or misunderstood. The Bandits which are mostly pastoral Fulanis are into this, base on grieve that does not has a connection with any ideology, it was a pure retribution based on economy. Meanwhile Boko Haram took arms and fight to install their venomous ideology they claimed to be Islam. Boko Haram believe they are fighting for an Islamic course, while fulani Bandits are doing that to protect their animals and dignity from what they believe as a genocide against them by the State and sponsored rivals, and their pastoral routes. What is mostly negated in this Bororo Fulani Banditry is the roots cause, what are the roots cause of this Banditry?

How has the Bororo Fulanis are mostly involve in this crimes?  For decades, the Bororo Fulanis have been having problems with their host Communities, mostly the farmers that encroach the grazing paths (cattle grazing routes) grazing paths and routes that were demarcated for years have been encroached and some totally vanished, hence the cause of farmers herders feuds, for years, the State does not care to address the issue of Nomadic fulani herders roaming the bushes for pastoral activities, nothing was done to include them in National Development, nothing was done to massively enrolled them into modernization, the Ranch development and above all education (both Western and Islamic) a closer to that was a program called  "NOMADIC EDUCATION"  created by the former Minister of Education, Prof. Jibrin Aminu, WHO is a Fulani himself, who also believe that, it was only through education that nomadic fulanis will understand the true meaning of civilization and perhaps transformed to be better people, and I believe, has it been the program was taken seriously, there may be no debate on RUGA and other issues involving the pastoralists that is costing more today. Because there is a general misconception from our neighbors that does not understand the life of a pastoral Fulanis, they thought all pastoralists are Muslims, meanwhile they are not, what many did not know is that, great Majority of them doesn't know what Islam is, even if they answer Islamic names, many pastoral Bororo Fulanis are Animists in nature, they know nothing apart from their pastoral life, living in thick jungle for their animals. The misconception leads to the stereotype on the Fulanis, the settled  fulanis become victims of the heinous vicious activities of the Bororo Fulanis. Even the Hausas are being connected to the Bororo Fulanis Banditry act, every Northerner being a Muslim or Christian is not spares of the Banditry, the Southerners sees us the same, because of Political rivalry.

Nigerian government should appreciate the moves being done by Dr. Ahmad Gumi in, he need the support of all to bring the Banditry to an end for a lasting peace to reign. I believe the Bandits can come to an end if there is sincerity of purpose, restructuring and follow up of the root cause of the problems that instigated the taking of arms against the State. The ones that are ready to surrender should be supported and be granted amnesty the way the Militants of Niger Delta are enjoying today. As for Boko Haram, their ideology will not even allow them to surrender, because it is being laid on an adulterated interpretation of religion. 

Dr. Gumi should be supported and we pray for Allah to bring to an end all kind of insecurities bedevelling NIGERIA 🇳🇬.

®© AMS

4/2/2021