Kaduna-based Muslim cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has offered to engage in dialogue with the bandits responsible for the abduction of 287 schoolchildren in Kaduna, The Herald reports.
Gumi said he is ready to do this on the condition that President Bola Tinubu grant him the opportunity to negotiate.
Gumi said it is important to learn from past mistakes, pointing to the stance of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who refused to engage in dialogue with bandits.
The Muslim cleric urged Tinubu not to repeat this error and advocated for a diplomatic approach to secure the release of the abducted schoolchildren.
The Herald reported that the recent abduction occurred in the Kuriga area of the Chikun Local Government Area in Kaduna State, where bandits targeted pupils and teachers from Kuriga Government Secondary and LEA Primary Schools.
The incident follows a series of abductions, including the kidnapping of 200 internally displaced women in Borno State.
Despite the situation, the Kaduna State government has maintained a stance against negotiating with bandits for the release of the schoolchildren.
Additionally, the government denied hiring a private negotiator for this purpose.
In response to the government’s position, Sheikh Gumi urged a change in approach, referencing successful negotiations in the past, such as the release of passengers abducted on the Abuja-Kaduna train in 2022.
“The government’s stand of no negotiation with the bandits is an unfortunate position. My advice is that the government should dialogue with the bandits not only for these Kuriga schoolchildren’s abductions but in all cases.
“Also, the government should use the same approach it used in releasing passengers that were abducted on the Abuja-Kaduna train in 2022 to release the Kuriga schoolchildren and others.
“I am ready to lead a holistic dialogue between the government and bandits. It is my religious duty to do so for peace,” Gumi said in the statement.
Gumi, known for previous negotiations with bandits on behalf of state governments, called on the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider engaging in negotiations with the bandits for the release of the abducted schoolchildren.