Nigerian government and Sheikh Gumi; the negotiator of doom

With the current security unrest in the country, high rise of kidnapping, spike in banditry, herdmen clashes and a host of challenges which the Nigerian government is facing and are failing to curtail, we seem to have a negotiator.

The question is, “How did we meet ourselves here?”.

It’s no longer news that there’s hardly a week without report of bandits kidnapping school children or making attempts to attack facilities. It’s so puzzling the bandits have a spokesperson, a negotiator, someone who is their link with the government.

It won’t be out of place if I am to say it’s the government’s nonchalant and lackadaisical attitude that has gotten us to this shameful, pathetic, banditry and insecurity crisis we are having all over the nation. A very sad situation. 

One wonders where a recognized and sovereign government pays ransom to an individual on behalf of the government to bandits.

One wonders why an individual is having escorts to bandit coven and having photoshoot sessions with criminals who are destroying the future of our kids, brothers and sisters.

The level of trauma, despicable state of mind and experiences students are made to go through in the hands of these bandits can’t be tolerated in any part of the world.

It’s sad to even know the acclaimed negotiator is not even a recognized government official, although, a retired captain in the Nigeria Defense Academy (NDA).

Our negotiator is no other than the Kaduna based Islamic Scholar, Ahmad Abubakar Gumi, the current Mufti and Mufassir at the Kaduna Central Mosque. “His rise to prominence is suspect”, borrowing from the words of Alhaji Lai Mohammed (Minister for Information), which he used to describe Twitter’s activities in Nigeria.

We have a mix of a spokesperson who roles out banditry terms and conditions to the government, collects ransom on their behalf, he’s the go-to man if you have issues with bandits. If we are to be serious as a nation, and the government is really serious and wants an end to banditry, they have the answers right in their hands.

The speed and accuracy in which the Nigerian government use to disperse protesters, arrest and raid secessionist who are growing in numbers daily, should please also be channelled to secure the future of the nation.

We can’t continue as a nation to have our kids, brothers and sisters traumatized on weekly basis because of our nonchalant attitude. We can’t as a nation continue to pamper some criminal elements in some quarters then go on to  raid and kill in another quarter. 

This is not how to preach one Nigeria, this isn’t keeping the nation safe.

The government needs to act and act fast

The world is watching. Well, our negotiator is probably preparing for another meeting because there has been an attack by bandits, on the 5th of July 2021, where they killed 19 people and burned down properties in Kaduna in an operation that lasted till early hours of Tuesday.