Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has reiterated that negotiations with bandits can produce positive results, insisting that dialogue remains an effective approach to tackling insecurity.
He argued that similar efforts succeeded in the past, noting that talks and the amnesty programme for Niger Delta militants helped to curb violence in the region.
The Islamic scholar maintained that the government should not jettison negotiations, stressing that sustained engagement could help restore peace and stability.
On his Facebook page, the controversial Islamic scholar stated that war doesn’t work, noting that the military continues to fight Boko Haram and bandits with no end in sight.
Sheikh Ahmad Gumi dismissed claims that negotiations do not work, describing such arguments as false. He said dialogue had previously succeeded with militants in the Niger Delta creeks, arguing that it is war, not negotiation, that has failed.
According to him, Nigeria has spent about 16 years fighting Boko Haram and 11 years battling banditry with little to show for it, noting that repeating the same strategy while expecting different outcomes is irrational.
Gumi explained that violence thrives on a cycle of hatred and demonisation, where each side responds to hostility with more hostility, eventually escalating into bloodshed.
He stressed that breaking this cycle requires a deliberate shift towards conflict resolution anchored on negotiation and compromise, supported by intellectual engagement, faith-based principles, and a strong moral rejection of violence.