Islamic Cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has maintained his position that some Fulani herdsmen were forced into criminality because they were victims of cattle rustling.

Sheikh Gumi restated his position during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday.

Sheikh Gumi said: “When I listened to them, I found out that it is a simple case of criminality which turned into banditry, which turned into ethnic war, and some genocide too behind the scene; people don’t know.”

The cleric said that while “there is no excuse for any crime; nothing can justify crime, and they are committing crime,” the bandits were forced into criminality.

“I think it is a population that is pushed by circumstances into criminality,” he said. “And this is what we should look, let’s remove the pressure, let’s remove the things that made them into criminals because we have lived thousands of years without any problems with the nomadic herdsmen. They are peaceful people. But something happened that led them to this.”

According to Gumi, the herdsmen-bandits are engaged in an ethnic war against other peoples, including sedentary Fulanis.

The solution, he added, was dialogue.

“It is a complex issue that Nigerians need to understand,” Sheikh Gumi said.

“The solution is very simple, but it’s not military hardware. The solution is dialogue and teaching.

Read Also: Former Nigeria First Lady urges FG to complete Yar’Adua’s e-library project

“These people are acting with natural instincts, not special knowledge. And they don’t have any ambition or anything. They don’t have a vision of the future. They are talking about existence; their livelihood is destroyed; because of the cattle rustling that was going on for a long time, they are the first victims of it.

“So we need to investigate how cattle rustling became a big business in Nigeria and how it affected the socio-cultural behaviour of the nomadic Fulani. They were pushed into criminality.”

source: https://newstrack.oak.tv/bandits-are-peaceful-people-victims-of-circumstances-sheikh-gumi/

This man is a deranged terrorist that ought to have been arrested for questioning. Had it been he is a southerner or middle belt, he would have been seriously questioned, cautioned and silenced

We initially thought that this man has sense until he started showing his true colours as a hardened terrorist. his utterances of late has shown that all Fulanis has only one agenda which is ethnic supremacy over others. they will fail woefully at the end

Are you one of them sir?

What is the causes of high rate of Cultism, Gboys, Yahoo, hoodlums and thugs in the south. Your answer is same with mine. What is the justifications given to Yahoo boys. Yahoo boys are allowed to roam in the south but we don't allow bandits inside our town's, give them accommodation, let them marry our daughters. This people are trying to survive, due to climate change, high rate of farming, cow rustling, they lost their means of survival. they're not educated what do they do? Yep whatever it's that will bring money.

“I think it is a population that is pushed by circumstances into criminality,” he said. “And this is what we should look, let’s remove the pressure, let’s remove the things that made them into criminals because we have lived thousands of years without any problems with the nomadic herdsmen. They are peaceful people. But something happened that led them to this.”.

You people want to make enough noise on social media to stop the bandit from coming down south. Lol. Northerners are the victims not you guys enough hypocrisy

I'm sure this man does not know the meaning of bandits..

It's not his fault. Na tribalism and religious bigotry finish us. If it was Nnamdi Kanu making these type of comments and posing with AK49 rifle among bandits, these thread would have gotten 10 million views and 3 million comments calling for his head.

Fulani terrorists kill,maim,rob and rape as they like....result? Amnesty and billions to compensate them coz they are victims. South East launches ESN unofficially after govt has repeatedly frustrated all means to legalize it in that region (remember BSS?)...result? They are labelled wanted bandits.

All those paid Fulani slaves who propagate and defend Fulani agenda on this forum will lose at least half of their loved ones before 2023. This is a mild way of putting the absolute pure hatred I have for you guys...especially those paid moderators. You must "collect" the fruit of your labors.

tsephanyah:
What is the causes of high rate of Cultism, Gboys, Yahoo, hoodlums and thugs in the south. Your answer is same with mine. What is the justifications given to Yahoo boys. Yahoo boys are allowed to roam in the south but we don't allow bandits inside our town's, give them accommodation, let them marry our daughters. This people are trying to survive, due to climate change, high rate of farming, cow rustling, they lost their means of survival. they're not educated what do they do? Yep whatever it's that will bring money.

“I think it is a population that is pushed by circumstances into criminality,” he said. “And this is what we should look, let’s remove the pressure, let’s remove the things that made them into criminals because we have lived thousands of years without any problems with the nomadic herdsmen. They are peaceful people. But something happened that led them to this.”.

You people want to make enough noise on social media to stop the bandit from coming down south. Lol. Northerners are the victims not you guys enough hypocrisy

zero sense