IBB advises Tinubu on how to deal with Sheikh Gumi, other bandit sympathizers
IBB advises Tinubu on how to deal with Sheikh Gumi, other bandit sympathizers
Former Nigerian military head of state, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida has advised president Bola Ahmed Tinubu to be ruthless with bandits and terròrists ravaging Nigerians particularly in the northern Nigeria.
IBB through his X handle advised president Bola Ahmed Tinubu against negotiating with bandits and terròrists at the expense of eliminating them through military operations. He argued that negotiating with bandits and terròrists is counterproductive, a move that will motivate the crîminals. According to him, when the authority negotiates with bandits and pay ransom to them, the government is directly funding its enemies (bandits) against its citizens.
Hence, he advocates for decisive, deliberately sustained military operation against bandits and other criminal groups. The former Nigerian military ruler added that the government must also take actions against those who sympathize with bandits or those who pose as bandits’ negotiators.
He explained that were he the president of Nigeria, he would not negotiate with bandits and kidnáppers; he would rather eliminate them all.
“No bandits, no terrorists, no terrorists negotiators or terrorists sympathizers should be spared for disrupting the peace of Nigerians.
“If I was the President, that would be my message to the Nigerian military and states governors. We can go band for band, we are not negotiating!”
IBB’s statement has been applauded on Nigeria’s X community. His opinion appears to resonate with many Nigerians especially those who think that popular Islamic cleric and self-confessed bandits sympathizer, Sheikh Gumi should be arrested and investigated to determine if he is enabling the bandits he goes about defending their criminal acts.
Sheikh Gumi had previously mediated peace deals between bandits and communities, sometimes serving as a negotiator for the bandits.
As a result, IBB recent call for bandits sympathizer and negotiators should be made to face the law, aligns with popular opinion on social media about Sheikh Gumi.
The Nigeria’s leadership under president Bola Ahmed Tinubu appears to be wary of the Islamic cleric who ironically retired as a captain in the Nigeria’s army.
