Sheikh Ahmad Gumi made the proposal while calling on the government to consider negotiations, rehabilitation and other non-military approaches to ending years of violence across the country.
Speaking during an interview, Gumi argued that Nigeria should treat insecurity as its own problem and develop solutions based on the country’s realities rather than allowing international opinions to dictate its response.
He said the government should be willing to negotiate with armed groups, noting that other countries had engaged militant organisations in dialogue during periods of conflict.
Gumi also claimed that former President Olusegun Obasanjo once met with Boko Haram leaders in Maiduguri and that they had agreed to lay down their arms, but alleged that the government failed to follow through on the arrangement.
He proposed that the government announce a six-month period for bandits and terrorists to surrender their weapons, followed by rehabilitation and reintegration programmes.
“Otherwise, if I’m the president, I would just come and announce, I’ve given six month amnesty window for them to put down their weapons, we’ll do everything,” he said.
The cleric further suggested that the government could provide education and other incentives for the children of members of the armed groups, including building schools in forest communities where necessary.
He argued that funds being spent on other projects could instead be redirected towards rehabilitation programmes and initiatives aimed at addressing the root causes of insecurity.
“Why can’t we negotiate with them?” Gumi asked, insisting that dialogue should be explored as one of the possible approaches to ending banditry and terrorism in Nigeria.
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