A coalition of some Northern elders have renounced popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Gumi over his recent comments in the course of his ongoing peace talks with bandits across Kaduna, Zamfara and Niger States.
The northern elders on Wednesday disassociated themselves from allegations the Islamic cleric made after one of his meetings where he said non-Muslim soldiers had carried out planned killings in some communities, precipitating anger from the bandits.
Sheikh Gumi told a delegation led by the Secretary to the Niger State Government on a negotiation mission for the release of the kidnapped Kagara students. He said; ‘What I want you people to understand is, soldiers that are involved in most of the criminalities are not Muslims. You know, soldiers have Muslims and none Muslims. The non-Muslims are the ones causing confusion just to ignite a crisis,’
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The Northern Elders under the aegis of North East Elders for Peace and Development (NEEPD) disassociated themselves from the comments noting that the allegation does not represent the position of the region. They said the public should see such comment as the cleric’s personal opinion.
NEEPD in a statement by the coordinator, Zana Goni, resisted attempts by individuals or groups to profile the military.
They said it was necessary for groups in the north to condemn such a dangerous statement made by the Islamic cleric so it does not look like he speaks for the region.
‘As Northern elders committed to a united and indivisible nation, we hasten to condemn in very strong terms the allegations made against the Nigerian military by one of our leading Islamic scholars, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi
‘We rise in one voice to dissociate ourselves from the dangerous and divisive allegations levelled against our patriotic soldiers by Sheikh Gumi, in one of his missions to meet with bandits in a forest around Niger State, the group said.
‘Our concern is further hinged on the possibility of the world concluding that the North may be offering tacit endorsement to banditry and associated crimes against society.
‘To douse this tension, therefore, we call on relevant authorities, including prominent individuals and groups from the North, to condemn Gumi’s position in a manner that will absolve the region of conspiracy and vicarious liability, in the long run’. They concluded.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK