By SUNTV Global Channel Newsroom
July 25, 2026 | Abuja, Nigeria
Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has questioned why no official of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration has attempted to engage Boko Haram insurgents and armed bandits in peace talks, drawing comparisons with past engagements between Nigerian government officials and Niger Delta militants.
In a statement shared on his Facebook page on Saturday, Gumi recalled how former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo met with militant groups in the Niger Delta as part of efforts that later contributed to the implementation of the Federal Government’s Amnesty Programme.
According to the cleric, the dialogue-based approach played a significant role in reducing unrest in the oil-producing region and should be considered in addressing the persistent insecurity in parts of northern Nigeria.
“The former President Jonathan visited Delta militants in the creeks, so also the former Vice President Osinbajo. They all came up with a programme to tame the militants,” Gumi stated.
He further questioned why a similar strategy had not been adopted in dealing with Boko Haram insurgents and armed bandits.
“Who is going to visit Boko Haram and bandits to tame them without people criticising the effort?” he asked.
Sheikh Gumi has consistently advocated dialogue with armed groups operating across Nigeria’s North-West and North-East, arguing that negotiations, alongside other security measures, could provide a more sustainable solution to the country’s security challenges.
Over the years, he has visited camps linked to armed bandits in states such as Zamfara, maintaining that the engagements were aimed at understanding their grievances and encouraging peaceful resolutions.
His approach, however, has remained controversial. Critics argue that negotiating with criminal groups risks legitimising violent actors responsible for killings, kidnappings and other crimes. Supporters, on the other hand, contend that some of his interventions have contributed to the release of abducted victims.
Gumi has repeatedly denied supporting terrorism or banditry, insisting that his advocacy is focused on ending violence through dialogue, rehabilitation and reintegration.
The Federal Government introduced the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme in 2009 under the administration of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, with the initiative continuing under President Goodluck Jonathan. The programme encouraged thousands of militants to disarm in exchange for vocational training, stipends and reintegration support, contributing to a significant decline in attacks on oil facilities.
As of the time of this report, the Presidency has not publicly responded to Sheikh Gumi’s latest remarks.
SUNTV Global Channel will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as more reactions emerge.
