Islamic scholar and cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has called on the federal government to grant amnesty to bandits and herdsmen just like they did to Niger Delta militants.
He reiterated the readiness of bandits to lay down their arms, hence the need for should amnesty.
The cleric made the call during the enrollment of the third group of students into the free orphans’ healthcare and education support programme organized by the Kawo Islamic Foundation in Kaduna.
He explained that granting bandits amnesty would stop the hostilities being experienced in the North while urging the government to also educate and provide bandits with funds after granting them amnesty.
According to him: “If there is anything that can stop the shedding of blood, it is better just like what happened with the Niger Delta militants, they were shedding blood and vandalizing pipelines, but where they were ready to drop their weapons with an amnesty that will take care of them, I think the same thing can apply to herdsmen.
“We have met them and they are ready to put down their arms, but when they put down their arms if you do not educate them and provide them with funds to take care of them, they will go back to the same old ways.
“Still, we call for amnesty and stopping all hostilities because we know how we can deal with it peacefully.”
