Popular Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmed Gumi, has called on the Federal Government to give bandits ‘blanket Amnesty’.
The cleric made the call while speaking with newsmen during an interface with the abductors of Kagara schoolboys in Niger State.
Mr Gumi stressed the need for the government to extend the same amnesty to bandits as it was given to Niger Delta militants.
According to him, he met with different factions of the bandits in Niger and they all have their complaints, adding the outcome of the meeting was positive.
“The outcome is very positive because we have worrying factions. Each factions are saying they have their own complaints and greviances which are very simple. There is hope that we can resolve this.
“I appeal to government and recommend that government should do to them exactly what they did to the Niger delta militant and give them a blanket amnesty. Then if anybody will continue we will deal with him.”
He said he met with the bandits in his mission to ensure there is absolute peace in the state.
The bandits, other part, promised to release all the kidnapped victims in their captivity, within the state.
Notorious kidnapping warlords such as Dogon Gida, Kachalla, and others, it was gathered, attended the reconciliation forum with Mr Gumi.
They expressed willingness to part of any deradicalization exercise or programme that the government will unveil for their repentant ‘boys’.
“The meeting took place at an isolated area inside a forest in the State, yesterday,” a security source reliably disclosed.
The bandits, he said, told Mr Gumi, that they are tired of the atrocities and killing of innocent persons, the have been carrying out.
“They are not happy that several of their cows have been bombarded, and some stolen by robbers. They alleged that their fellow herdsmen have been killed by some villagers,” he added.
According to the source, who declined giving his name, the bandits took Gumi round some wells were bodies of their Fulani relatives and family members, killed in aerial bombardments, were dumped.
“They also let Sheikh Gumi know that vigilantee members in some communities always attack their Fulani relatives and family members, whenever they sight them going to markets and towns,” he said.
