Influential Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, says there has been an improvement in general security under President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said that while there is still a prevalence of kidnapping and ransom-taking, “I think we are coming down from the crescendo.”
According to him, perpetrators of the heinous crimes are beginning to realise the futility of their actions.
“I think the security situation in the country, to be honest, every Nigerian has had a taste of it. But I think now, there is a little improvement from what has been happening in the past. I think we are coming down from the crescendo because mostly it is kidnapping and ransom-taking for many factors.
“I think one of the factors is that the people concerned are realising the failure of their attempts. So, there is improvement in general security. But has it reached the level we expect it to? I don’t think it has reached that level.
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“Now, you hear about lesser cases of kidnapping even though it is still rampant, it is lesser than before. We have reached the climax and after reaching the climax, like in a graph, everything comes down. So, I think we are reaching the end of the crisis,” Gumi told The Punch.
Explaining the decline in bombings in the north and rise in kidnappings, Gumi said, “In any phenomenon, the zealots burn out like a candle. Maybe in the beginning, they had a lot of zealots and fanatics. But now, they are out; what remains is a younger generation of people who are becoming enlightened that that way of life is not feasible.
“So, we are seeing the end of the insurgency. Even in the South-East, when their leader was caught, things went down, and even though there were cases of criminality and killings, the tempo is coming down.
“Probably, people are conscious that a new government is coming, so they want to see whether they will have a government that is sympathetic to them.”
On the presidential election, Gumi advised Nigerians to choose a leader that has the patience to address the security challenges from the root.
“The challenge of insecurity needs a leader who listens, tries to see the original cause, and tries to deal with the issue, not just bombard and kill militants. No! A leader should try to see what led to the problem and address it.
“The Niger Delta militants claimed that they were marginalised and their resources vandalised. So, when the government became serious, it created amnesty, a ministry, and a commission for them, it reduced the agitation.
“And they (the government) are using them (ex-militants) to police the areas because they know better than the security agencies. When (Government Ekpemupolo, also known as) Tompolo, was given a contract to protect pipelines, you saw the results; exposing the illegal tapping of our oil. Such engagement and discussion with them is the way out,” Gumi said.