The respected Kaduna based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmed Gumi who has been reconciling armed bandits and Fulani herders with the Federal Government has advised that the annual security budgetary provision should be used to address their needs.
He said, the use of force strategy in combating banditry attack would not work, hence, he has been visiting bandits in their hide outs in parts of the North.
Gumi, said what is happening is typical insurgency that need government to contemplate giving them a soft landing.
He spoke in continuation of his five-day visit to bandits’ and Fulani settlements in Zamfara State, noting that monies being spent in tackling insecurity in the Northern region can be channelled into addressing the needs of armed Fulani.
“Such billions would be more than enough if judiciously used to address all the demands of the armed Fulani, including providing them with basic amenities, training them and providing them with the needed capital,” he added.
The scholar stressed that extortion by corrupt government agents and cattle rustling has left majority of the Fulani with nothing, hence, government should do something about their plight.
Gumi, who toured the forest near Daki Takwas, called on the Fulanis to lay down their arms and avoid bloodshed.
He was optimistic that Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State would sincerely address their grievances.
Gumi also promised that he would do everything within his might to convey their concerns and demands to the President Muhammadu Buhari.
Speaking further, he stated that he would be in constant touch with the Zamfara State Government to ensure that there was no breach of the agreement from either side.
Before embarking on his tour of the forest, Gumi and his team paid homage to the Emir of Gusau, Alhaji Ibrahim Bello, at his palace in the state capital, where he told the emir some of the grievances of the armed Fulani, including periodic attacks on them.
