How deploying clerics to forests could help end banditry — Gumi

Islamic cleric Ahmad Gumi has explained how deploying credible Islamic scholars to forests to engage bandits through religious education could help end banditry in Nigeria’s North-west and North-central regions.

Gumi made the call in a statement posted on Facebook on Wednesday, where he reiterated his support for non-violent approaches to addressing banditry.

He, however, said that the scholars could engage the armed groups, teach them the sanctity of human life and the Islamic prohibition of killing and oppression, while encouraging them to abandon violence.

Gumi said the situation could have been different if more credible Islamic scholars had been systematically sent to the forests to engage the armed groups.

“Since 2021—now almost six years since we began preaching to bandits—one cannot help but imagine what could have been achieved if many credible Islamic scholars had been systematically deployed to engage bandits across the North-west, teaching them the sanctity of human life, the inviolability of people’s property, and the Islamic prohibition of killing and oppression,” Mr Gumi said.

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The cleric also said non-violent engagement could reduce the need for military operations by addressing some of the social and economic factors behind the crisis.

He argued that many of the bandits had been affected by poor access to education, deprivation and neglect, which he said had contributed to the spread of the crisis.

“Very few people seem to understand that many of these bandits are themselves products of the same ignorance, deprivation, and social neglect that have allowed the crisis to flourish,” he noted, adding, “People are the victims of their own prejudice!”

Gumi said his previous visits to bandits’ camps showed that religious engagement could be used to discourage violence and encourage the armed groups to change their ways.

During his meetings with bandits in 2021, he said he preached against attacks on innocent people and urged them to pursue Islamic education, observe daily prayers and abandon their weapons.

He said Islamic teachings made it clear that grievances against herders could not be used to justify attacks, kidnapping or other crimes.

“In Islam, there is no justification at all for reprisal attacks, killings, kidnappings, and rape,” Mr Gumi told the bandits during the forest meetings, urging them to seek formal Islamic education, observe daily prayers, and drop their weapons.

Gumi also proposed a rehabilitation programme that would provide amnesty, education and basic healthcare while giving repentant pastoralists opportunities to work as forest guards.

He said combining rehabilitation with religious and educational engagement could provide an alternative to continued military operations and help reduce banditry.