Controversial northern Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has defended his frequent engagements with terrorists and bandits, insisting that his visits are always conducted with security operatives and government representatives. Speaking at the 2025 Southwest Muslims Ulama Summit at the University of Ibadan, Gumi criticised years of “misrepresentation” by the media and public, explaining that his outreach aims to understand the roots of insecurity and create pathways for education and rehabilitation.

The Kaduna-based cleric stressed that Nigerians are currently in the eye of a storm of insecurity, driven largely by lack of education and unemployment. “When I go, I go with the police. I don’t go alone. I go with the government. It’s not a one-man machine. I carry everybody along,” Gumi said, highlighting that his approach is collaborative rather than unilateral.

He argued that years of societal neglect have produced a generation of frustrated herders who have been isolated from society, using a vivid example: leaving ten people in the bush with cattle for a year without education or communication would return them without human development. With insecurity continuing to dominate headlines, can education and employment initiatives become the key to lasting peace in Nigeria? Visit www.jocomms.com for more news

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