Herdsmen: Gumi Hood And The Merry Bandits

 

Gumi said, “you see, they call them killer Herdsmen, (unclear) did they kill?…sometimes, some of them are on drugs, some of them are on drugs. So, that killing is not killing to…they want the money…when they kill, it’s mostly accidental, maybe somebody they took who is sick. But tell me who have they killed”

By Bashir Lucas Samson Lukman

Popular Islamic Scholar, Sheikh Gumi has been in the news recently over his meetings with Bandits who have reportedly kidnapped and killed scores of Nigerians, created tension, subjected school children to trauma, raped women and many other crimes.

The Sheikh’s meeting was met with different reactions from Nigerians, sparking debates on social media with many questioning the motive behind his constant visits to the Bandits especially at a time when the Nigerian Army is gaining victory over them.

Gumi had explained that he was on a peace mission of calling the Bandits to repentance, to drop their weapons, and become law-abiding citizens of the state.

While his self-imposed visits are still suspected by some Nigerians, Gumi further escalated the suspicion when, other than the Bandits-narrative we know, he presented to us a Robin Hood group of outlaws and freedom fighters. Given Gumi’s recent statements, we ask again, “What is Sheikh Gumi up to?”

For the sake of clarity, this article shall rely on Gumi’s interview with Channels TV reporter, Seun Okin.

Enthusiastic Seun had asked Gumi the question many Nigerians have been dying to ask him. The people do not just want to know the minds of the Bandits but also Gumi’s motive. Seun asked,

“What did you discover when you listened to them?”

“A simple case of criminality, which turned into banditry, which turned into ethnic war, and some genocide too happening.”, Gumi replied.

Probably surprised by the new information, Seun asked him that the ethnic war is between them (the Bandits) and whom? Gumi replied by saying ”between the nomads (Herdsmen) versus anybody who is not them”. He went further by saying there is ethnic war in all the parts of the country citing the Igbos and the Yorubas.

Here, Gumi committed a fallacy of false equivalence by comparing the banditry he called ethnic war with ethnic differences in the South-East and South-West. There are no records of a-year-long ethnic war between two or more ethnic groups amongst these tribes in recent times that involve constant kidnapping and killing of Nigerians, raping of women and burning of houses. IPOB or ESN that could be cited has been proscribed.

When asked about the solution to the alleged ethnic war, he said the solution is dialogue and teaching. The Sheikh had also requested that the Federal government grants them Amnesty. In his opinion, the Bandits (a term he does not necessarily agree with) are just fighting for their survival.

In advocating for Amnesty for the Bandits, he said that victims of their criminal activities of the Bandits should be compensated. He also said that there are casualties on both sides.

“For every kidnap, there are ten casualties on the side of the Bandits”, Gumi said.

Regarding this, we want to ask Gumi and his Freedom fighters who is responsible for the casualties on the side of the Bandits? Do all victims of their Banditry belong to a targeted Ethnic group or it is the Bandits versus the state? Between the state and the victims of kidnapping, who is paying the ransom?

Between 16:00-17:00 minutes of the interview, Seun and Gumi dug deeper.

Gumi said, “you see, they call them killer Herdsmen, (unclear) did they kill?…sometimes, some of them are on drugs, some of them are on drugs. So, that killing is not killing to…they want the money…when they kill, it’s mostly accidental, maybe somebody they took who is sick. But tell me who have they killed”

There is Gumi wanting to disagree with the term, “Killer Herdsmen” after agreeing that they are Herdsmen. Here, he was trying to disprove the fact that they are murderers, then reduced the killings to the influence of drugs, then said that it is mostly accidental.

Seun replied to his question of how many people have they killed, “50 people”

“No, no, they don’t kill. If they kill, in the (unclear), they will kill people there. They want money from the people”, Gumi said.

“They burnt down houses. They’ve killed people”, Seun replied.

“This is another thing. That is ethnic war, that is not banditry. A nomadic man goes to that village and he was killed or lynched, so, they come in groups and ransack the village, not to steal but to revenge and this is more of defense, instilling fear”, Gumi explained.

On what grounds do we justify the killing of innocent people and subjecting innocent lives to torture then call it defense?

Suen referenced a video seeking an explanation from Gumi on what he meant. In the video, the Sheikh was heard telling the Bandits that non-Muslim soldiers attacked them but they attack both Muslims and Christians.

Gumi referred to a 2014 incident where the Soldiers allegedly killed people but tactically avoided Seun’s question. Was Gumi suggesting that the Bandits target the non-Muslims alone when he should have told them that Islam forbids fighting those ‘who did not chase you from your home or fight you on account of your religion’ or what was the point? He avoided the question and digressed with story-telling. While he agreed that Kaduna State Governor, El-Rufai is an intelligent man, the governor has refused to see wanna-be ethnic heroes in Sheikh Gumi’s Merry Bandits.

The nefarious activities of the Bandits are far from what Freedom fighters do. Robin Hood and his Merry Men did not go about raping women, kidnapping children, collecting ransom and killing their victims. The so-called ethnic-warriors could have gone to the army barracks to attack the alleged non-Muslim soldiers who killed them in 2014. If there is any excuse or justification, the Bandits have transgressed beyond the point of justification.

Sheikh Gumi’s interview with Seun further raises suspension and leaves us asking more questions. Throughout the interview, I saw an uncomfortable and waggish Gumi caught in a web of paradoxes, contradictions and inconsistencies. If Gumi is convinced the Bandits are fighting for their rights, let him lead them as a service to humanity.

Bashir Lucas Samson Lukman (Nexus News)Popular Islamic Scholar, Sheikh Gumi has been in the news recently over his meetings with Bandits who have reportedly kidnapped and killed scores of Nigerians, created tension, subjected school children to trauma, raped women and many other crimes.

The Sheikh’s meeting was met with different reactions from Nigerians, sparking debates on Social Media with many questioning the motive behind his constant visits to the Bandits especially at a time when the Nigerian Army is gaining victory over them.

Gumi had explained that he was on a peace mission of calling the Bandits to repentance, to drop their weapons, and become law-abiding citizens of the state.

While his self-imposed visits are still suspected by some Nigerians, Gumi further escalated the suspicion when, other than the Bandits-narrative we know, he presented to us a Robin Hood group of outlaws and freedom fighters. Given Gumi’s recent statements, we ask again, “What is Sheikh Gumi up to?”

For the sake of clarity, this article shall rely on Gumi’s interview with Channels TV reporter, Seun Okin.

Enthusiastic Seun had asked Gumi the question many Nigerians have been dying to ask him. The people do not just want to know the minds of the Bandits but also Gumi’s motive. Seun asked,

“What did you discover when you listened to them?”

“A simple case of criminality, which turned into banditry, which turned into ethnic war, and some genocide too happening.”, Gumi replied.

Probably surprised by the new information, Seun asked him that the ethnic war is between them (the Bandits) and whom? Gumi replied by saying ”between the nomads (Herdsmen) versus anybody who is not them”. He went further by saying there is ethnic war in all the parts of the country citing the Igbos and the Yorubas.

Here, Gumi committed a fallacy of false equivalence by comparing the banditry he called ethnic war with ethnic differences in the South-East and South-West. There are no records of a year-long ethnic war between two or more ethnic groups amongst these tribes in recent times that involve constant kidnapping and killing of Nigerians, raping of women and burning of houses. IPOB or ESN that could be cited has been proscribed.

When asked about the solution to the alleged ethnic war, he said the solution is dialogue and teaching. The Sheikh had also requested that the Federal government grants them Amnesty. In his opinion, the Bandits (a term he does not necessarily agree with) are just fighting for their survival.

In advocating for Amnesty for the Bandits, he said that victims of their criminal activities of the Bandits should be compensated. He also said that there are casualties on both sides.

“For every kidnap, there are ten casualties on the side of the Bandits”, Gumi said.

Regarding this, we want to ask Gumi and his Freedom fighters who is responsible for the casualties on the side of the Bandits? Do all victims of their Banditry belong to a targeted Ethnic group or it is the Bandits versus the state? Between the state and the victims of kidnapping, who is paying the ransom?

Between 16:00-17:00 minutes of the interview, Seun and Gumi dug deeper.

Gumi said, “you see, they call them killer Herdsmen, (unclear) did they kill?…sometimes, some of them are on drugs, some of them are on drugs. So, that killing is not killing to…they want the money…when they kill, it’s mostly accidental, maybe somebody they took who is sick. But tell me who have they killed”

There is Gumi wanting to disagree with the term, “Killer Herdsmen” after agreeing that they are Herdsmen. Here, he was trying to disprove the fact that they are murderers, then reduced the killings to the influence of drugs, then said that it is mostly accidental.

Seun replied to his question of how many people have they killed, “50 people”

“No, no, they don’t kill. If they kill, in the (unclear), they will kill people there. They want money from the people”, Gumi said.

“They burnt down houses. They’ve killed people”, Seun replied.

“This is another thing. That is ethnic war, that is not banditry. A nomadic man goes to that village and he was killed or lynched, so, they come in a group and ransack the village, not to steal but to revenge and this is more of defence, instilling fear”, Gumi explained.

On what grounds do we justify the killing of innocent people and subjecting innocent lives to torture then call it defence?

Suen referenced a video seeking an explanation from Gumi on what he meant. In the video, the Sheikh was heard telling the Bandits that non-Muslim soldiers attacked them but they attack both Muslims and Christians.

Gumi referred to a 2014 incident where the Soldiers allegedly killed people but tactically avoided Seun’s question. Was Gumi suggesting that the Bandits target the non-Muslims alone when he should have told them that Islam forbids fighting those ‘who did not chase you from your home or fight you on account of your religion’ or what was the point? He avoided the question and digressed with story-telling. While he agreed that Kaduna State Governor, El-Rufai is an intelligent man, the governor has refused to see wanna-be ethnic heroes in Sheikh Gumi’s Merry Bandits.

The nefarious activities of the Bandits are far from what Freedom fighters do. Robin Hood and his Merry Men did not go about raping women, kidnapping children, collecting ransom and killing their victims. The so-called ethnic-warriors could have gone to the army barracks to attack the alleged non-Muslim soldiers who killed them in 2014. If there is any excuse or justification, the Bandits have transgressed beyond the point of justification.

Sheikh Gumi’s interview with Seun further raises suspension and leaves us asking more questions. Throughout the interview, I saw an uncomfortable and waggish Gumi caught in a web of paradoxes, contradictions and inconsistencies. If Gumi is convinced the Bandits are fighting for their rights, let him lead them as a service to humanity.

Bashir Lucas Samson Lukman (Nexus News – Nexus.ng)

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