Again, Gumi Calls For Dialogue With Boko Haram, Cites Jonathan’s N’Delta Approach

Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has renewed his call for dialogue with Boko Haram insurgents and armed bandits, saying engagement has previously been used to restore peace in other conflict zones across Nigeria.

The renowned cleric, who spoke in a post shared on his official Facebook page on Saturday, compared the security challenges in northern Nigeria with the Niger Delta crisis, recalling that former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo both met with militants during efforts to end violence in the oil-producing region.

According to him, Those engagements eventually paved the way for peace initiatives that reduced hostilities.

Questioning why a similar approach should not be considered in the North, Gumi wrote: “The former President Jonathan visited delta militants in the creeks, so also the former Vice President Osinbajo. They all came up with a program to tame the militants.

“Who is going to visit BH and Bandits to tame them without fools castigating them?”

The cleric, however, suggested that anyone seeking dialogue with Boko Haram members or armed bandits today would likely face public criticism despite the precedent set during efforts to resolve the Niger Delta conflict.

His comments come as discussions continue over the most effective strategy for addressing the prolonged insurgency and widespread banditry affecting several northern states.

While some stakeholders have advocated military action as the primary response, others have argued that dialogue and non-military measures could also play a role in ending the violence.

Gumi’s latest remarks add to the ongoing national debate over how best to tackle insecurity in the country