Crime
I go with police, govt officials to negotiate with bandits – Sheikh Gumi
Popular Kaduna-based Islamic cleric Sheikh Gumi addresses issues of banditry and terrorism.
The rate at which bandits and terrorists kill and kidnap Nigerians is on the increase, particularly in the northern part of Nigeria. In an attempt to combat this, the Federal Government has spent billions of naira to ensure that Nigerians are safe, but this issue continues to ravage the northern region. What do you say to this?
No matter how many expensive drugs you give to patients, if they are not the right drugs, they will not get cured. In fact, the drug needed may be very cheap, but you may be giving an expensive drug that is ineffective for the ailment. In this case, there is a need to diagnose what the problem is, especially among the youth. We must understand that these individuals are all young, whether they are Boko Haram or bandits; you will never see an old man among them. There is a social reason associated with all these disturbances, and there is also a lack of respect for leadership. The Federal Government must look at the root cause of this problem and start to apply the right formula to solve it. Spending trillions on ammunition and militarisation when the problem is social will yield no results. This will only compound the issue, leading people to become radicalised and turn to militancy.
Recently, you said the Federal Government should not have radicalised bandits and Boko Haram. Why did you say so?
Well, it is not the government that started it. A long time ago, when the conflict was a social or ethnic problem, they used the military to quell or suppress it. It is not suppressible.
When a society is neglected until it becomes harmful, like the military, the next line of action is dialogue—to sit down with them, especially when they express a desire for dialogue.
For instance, I have been there, I have seen them, I have talked to them, and they said they want dialogue. Why does the Federal Government emphasise the kinetic approach when the people say they want dialogue? If they do not want dialogue, that is a different issue. Then the government should come out with the armament.
Another thing is that our military is doing very well. It is overstretched from Maiduguri to Sokoto, from Sokoto to Lagos, and from Lagos to all parts of the country.
It is not just about the military; it can be the police. What we have to do is downsise the military, expand the police force, and empower them. It is really useless when we spend our money on modern gadgets, intelligence gathering, and all that; we are going astray.
The military is a fire engine. It is a fire-for-fire approach. These people they are fighting are guerrillas.
Using the military to fight a guerrilla war is like punishing the military. We have seen that in Afghanistan; now Israelis are fighting guerrillas in Gaza and are facing serious consequences for doing that.
The military is not designed to fight guerrillas. It is just like using a hammer to kill flies. One will destroy the house. The design of the military is not for this job. We have to empower the police, enhance intelligence gathering, and, more importantly, empower the people themselves. The trillions the government has spent on social welfare and amenities do not even need to be agitated for. This is all agitation. When people don’t see justice, they take justice into their own hands.
Many Nigerians want to know how you find bandits and talk to them, and why the Federal Government can’t use you as bait to apprehend them.
People should not talk like that. This is unintelligent. For instance, if you are in Lagos or Ogun State and you have access to see people, do you ask how you have access to them? These people are Nigerians; we can trace them through their relatives and all that easily.
When one approaches them as a negotiator or a preacher, they open their hearts. So, they can be approached and convinced. The question is: Why is the government not taking that course? Well, I can say the present government has learned from the legacy of the past.
The only thing I think is lacking here is that the talking is too much. If you stand on the right side, then we will get results.
Federal Government to empower and educate them. Meanwhile, do you agree that the motive of these terrorists is towards the Islamisation of Nigeria?
Before the herdsmen became bandits, they were fighting an ethnic war. They respect the government as an authority and have said that the problem is vigilante groups. The vigilantes started killing and massacring them; they had no peace, and that was their grievance. If there can be one vigilante group and a state police or local government police, some of them should be incorporated to have a balance. Nobody is saying anything about that, and everyone is doing their own business. Now we are all suffering.
Why have you taken the matter of speaking to these terrorist elements seriously?
I am in the eye of the storm, and I am a full-fledged Nigerian. I also have an interest in peace and tranquillity. I cannot wait for the official narrative because I have been in the army and I know how things go.
Today, 90 per cent of our intelligence is garbage. What we have left is just about 10 per cent. That is why we have coups because intelligence does not have a way to identify these people.
They also killed their leaders because no intelligence picked them up. Can we wait until we get a government that understands, then, we can make plans to intervene and see if it can calm nerves to achieve peace. No, as individuals, we have to do our best. Then I can advise the government on what we have seen.
One thing Nigerians should understand is that I have never been to any den of these people without officials of the government. I go with the police because one cannot go alone; you must go with them.
Only that they will tell you there is a perimeter—don’t come with some of them. Sometimes, I also go with traditional institutions and state government officials. My plan is only to broker peace with them. They open their doors for us to sit and discuss issues.
Do you think they are ready to sheath their swords?
At the moment, they have started shouting “Allahu Akbar,” and that is what we are fearing. Now they are committing the same crimes of killing, raping, and slaughtering.
When we went there, they were not shouting “Allahu Akbar.” Now, they are aggrieved, and they think it is a revengeful fight. They must have been engaged by religious fanatics. This is what we feared.
It has been alleged that these terrorists are being sponsored by some politicians to wreak havoc in the country, especially those in the northern region. What is your take on this?
No politician is sponsoring these people. We are all victims. The opposition is not even behind this. This is a natural reaction of people neglected for centuries.
Now they are exposed to the world and they want education. These people are exposed to the internet and see how much they are deprived.
They want to fight back. This act is not orchestrated by anybody. To our surprise, in a school built for herdsmen in a village between Abuja and Kaduna, over 600 of them, along with their families, have started schooling there. They are telling us they don’t want their children to be like them. Imagine if we did that all around the country.
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By Our Correspondent
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Shehu Nadada, to Imo State to coordinate the search-and-rescue operation for 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps members and other passengers abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Road.
The victims were reportedly abducted on Thursday, October 1, 2026, around Umunoha in Imo State.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, CSP Anietie Iniedu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday.
According to the statement, Nadada arrived in the state alongside two Commissioners of Police and immediately conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the incident and the ongoing rescue operation.
He also reviewed the operational strategies, deployment of personnel and available assets, while issuing additional directives aimed at strengthening the coordinated response.
The assessment was conducted alongside the Imo State Commissioner of Police, CP Audu Garba Bosso; the Commissioner of Police in charge of Federal Operations, CP Akpan Anifiok; the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Police Mobile Force; other service commanders and members of the management team of the Imo State Police Command.
Iniedu said the search-and-rescue operation had been intensified, with additional tactical teams and operational assets deployed to identified areas.
He added that the operation was being supported by intelligence-led tracking of the abductors and coordinated efforts with other security agencies.
Nadada assured members of the public that the police remained committed to securing the safe release of the abducted persons.
“The Nigeria Police Force is committed to securing the safe rescue of the 20 abducted persons and will sustain the operation until the mission is successfully concluded,” Iniedu quoted Nadada as saying.
The police boss urged members of the public and the media to remain calm and vigilant, while appealing to anyone with credible information that could assist the operation to contact the police or the nearest security formation.
He assured the public that all information received would be treated with strict confidentiality.
The police said further updates would be provided as the rescue operation progresses.
Five men have been arrested and arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s Court in Maiduguri, Borno State, after police allegedly found them wearing T-shirts bearing the words “Tinubu Must Go.”
The defendants were identified as Baba Aji Gremami, 44; Mustapha Abba Yemen, 28; Abbacha Mohammed Ali, 32; Adam Umar Gubio, 21; and Abdulhamid Mohammed, 21.
According to a First Information Report issued by the State Criminal Investigation Department, the incident occurred on September 25, 2026, near West End Roundabout in Maiduguri.
Police charged the five men with criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery under Sections 60, 78, 79 and 392 of the Borno State Penal Code.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they appeared before Chief Magistrate Court I in Maiduguri.
Their lawyer subsequently applied for bail. The court adjourned the matter until October 6, 2026, to rule on the bail application, while the substantive trial has been scheduled for October 26.
The case has drawn attention because the alleged conduct involved wearing clothing displaying a political message.
Amnesty International criticised the prosecution, describing the arrests as arbitrary and arguing that peaceful political expression is protected by fundamental human rights. The organisation called for the immediate release of the five men and urged authorities to discontinue the case.
Amnesty International also expressed concern that the prosecution could have implications for political expression and opposition activities in Borno State.
The case has generated reactions on social media, with some commentators questioning whether the display of political messages on clothing should constitute a criminal offence.
There have also been allegations that a prominent politician in Borno State may have influenced the arrests. The allegation has not been independently verified.
Efforts to obtain a comment from the Borno State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Kenneth Daso, were reportedly unsuccessful as of the time of filing.
The defendants remain subject to the court process, and the allegations against them have not been established in court.
The Jigawa State Hisbah Board has arrested eight people in Kazaure Local Government Area over alleged homosexual acts, according to the board.
The board’s Public Relations Officer, Dauda Hadejia, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday, September 26, 2026.
Hadejia said the arrests followed a complaint filed by a 22-year-old man, who alleged that nine individuals had engaged in sexual acts with him on different occasions.
According to the statement, the complainant also claimed that he later contracted HIV, which he attributed to the alleged encounters. He reportedly appealed to the Hisbah authorities for justice, describing the alleged conduct as deceptive and harmful to his life.
Following the complaint, Hadejia said Hisbah operatives launched an investigation and began searching for the nine individuals named by the complainant.
“So far, eight suspects have been arrested, while efforts are ongoing to arrest the remaining suspect,” Hadejia said.
He added that the eight arrested individuals reportedly admitted during preliminary investigations to having engaged in sexual acts with the complainant.
Hadejia said the board had gathered information and evidence that would be presented before a court. He added that the investigation remained ongoing and that the suspects would be charged upon its completion.
The Deputy Commander-General of the Jigawa State Hisbah Board, Dr. Hussain Baban, reportedly urged parents to pay closer attention to their children’s upbringing and the people with whom they associate.
He also called on members of the public to be mindful of the consequences of their actions and to uphold religious and moral values.
The board further expressed appreciation to the Jigawa State Government for its support and cooperation in carrying out its responsibilities.
A newly married couple, Funmilayo Bamidele and her husband, Reverend Abiodun David, have been abducted along the Iyemero-Eruku Road, a border route linking Kwara and Kogi states.
The couple were reportedly returning from their engagement ceremony in Eruku on Saturday evening when armed men intercepted their vehicle and abducted them alongside four other passengers.
According to sources, the vehicle was initially expected to take the Isanlu Road. However, the driver reportedly chose an alternative route to drop off the best man and other members of the group at Iyamoye in Kogi State.
The vehicle was subsequently intercepted by armed men along the Iyemero-Eruku Road, leading to the abduction of all the occupants.
A photograph of the newly abducted couple has since emerged following the incident, while details about the whereabouts of the other passengers remain unclear.
Confirming the incident on Sunday, Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, said soldiers had been deployed to search the surrounding bushes and rescue the victims while also pursuing the suspected kidnappers.
Ojo disclosed that the vehicle used by the victims was later found abandoned at a former police station in Ayetoro, Ekiti State.
He added that police operatives from Kwara, Kogi and Ekiti states were working jointly on the rescue operation because the incident occurred around the border communities of the three states.
Authorities have yet to disclose further details on the identities of the suspected abductors or whether any contact has been established with the victims.
At least five miners have been killed and two others injured after gunmen reportedly ambushed them at a mining site in Plateau State.
The incident occurred at about 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 26, in Marit village, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area.
According to community sources, the miners were carrying out their legitimate activities when they came under attack. The incident has plunged the community into mourning and renewed concerns over the safety of residents in the area.
Confirming the attack, the National Publicity Secretary of the Berom Youth Moulders Association, Rwang Tengwong, said five people lost their lives while two others sustained injuries.
“It is a very sad and painful development. Our people are once again mourning the loss of lives to violence,” Tengwong said, while calling on security agencies to intensify efforts to protect communities and prevent similar incidents.
A community member, Simon Mundat, also described the attack as devastating and appealed to the authorities to strengthen security in the area.
“We are deeply saddened by this attack. We appeal to authorities to strengthen security in the area so that our people can go about their legitimate activities without fear,” he said.
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