Controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has questioned why the Federal Government has not explored direct dialogue with Boko Haram insurgents and armed bandits, arguing that previous administrations adopted similar engagements to address militancy in the Niger Delta.
Gumi, in a Facebook post on Saturday, said former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo held meetings with Niger Delta militants before introducing programmes that significantly reduced attacks in the oil-producing region.
According to him, the same approach has not been considered by the President Bola Tinubu administration in addressing persistent insecurity in the North.
āThe former President Jonathan visited Delta militants in the creeks, so also the former Vice President Osinbajo. They all came up with a programme to tame the militants,ā Gumi wrote.
He then asked, āWho is going to visit Boko Haram and bandits to tame them without fools castigating them?ā
The cleric, who has repeatedly advocated negotiations with armed groups in the North-West and North-East, maintained that dialogue, alongside rehabilitation and reintegration, offers a more sustainable solution to the countryās security crisis than military operations alone.
Over the years, Gumi has visited bandit camps in states including Zamfara, insisting that the engagements were aimed at understanding the grievances of the groups and persuading them to embrace peace.
His position has, however, continued to generate controversy, with critics accusing him of legitimising criminal gangs responsible for killings, kidnappings and other violent crimes across the country.
Supporters, on the other hand, argue that some of his interventions facilitated the release of kidnapped victims and opened channels for peaceful engagement.
The retired military officer has consistently denied supporting terrorism or banditry, insisting that his efforts are solely geared towards ending bloodshed through dialogue.
The Federal Government introduced the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme in 2009 under the late President Umaru Musa YarāAdua.
The initiative, which continued under Jonathan, involved the disarmament of thousands of militants in exchange for vocational training, stipends and reintegration support, leading to a significant decline in attacks on oil facilities.
Jonathan had earlier visited militant camps in the Niger Delta during his time as vice president, including a meeting with former militant leader Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo. He later said the engagement laid the foundation for the amnesty programme.
Similarly, Osinbajo, while serving as Acting President in 2017, visited Niger Delta communities where he met militants, traditional rulers and other stakeholders.
He defended the engagement at the time, saying those in the creeks were Nigerians with legitimate grievances that required attention alongside security measures.
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