Sheik Gumi, the prominent Islamic Scholar who acted as a mediator between the FG and some bandit groups in Zamafara State has accused the Nigerian Military of not wanting the insecurity situation in the country to improve because its benefitting loads billions from it. 
Sheik Gumi made this allegation while on Arise TV, where said the bandits are ready to lay down their weapons so far the Government can provide them with some basic social amenities like schools, hospital and water. But this can’t be possible because some top military officials won’t allow because they want to continue to profit from the huge funds allocated to the military to tackle the insecurity and insurgency in the country.
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Also speaking on his recent trips to the forest to engage bandits on the need to embrace peace, Sheik Gumi said;
“The military is not encouraging matters at all because they are the beneficiaries of this insecurity.
“The bandits are ready to drop their arms and return back to the fold if the federal government will accede to their simple demands such as building schools, hospitals and providing water.
“They (the bandits) are complaining mostly against the military killing innocent people. They resorted to buying arms. How did they get the arms? They resorted to kidnapping people which is an end result of these military actions.
“Look, they are ready to drop these arms and return back to the fold of the Nigerians just for simple things; schools, hospitals, water.
“And there is an allegation: the military don’t want this conflict to end because of the billions of Naira they claim for fighting insurgency. So the military is not cooperating.
“I praise the police and the Inspector-general of Police. I give him credit for assisting us to go and meet these people, but the military is not forthcoming, they are not cooperating, I don’t know why.” Sheik Gumi said.
Spokesman of the Nigerian Army, Brig-Gen Mohammed Yerima who responded to this said Sheik Gumi is entitled to his opinion.
Yerima said;
“If a learned man, a respected Islamic scholar can say that, then it’s unfortunate. He is entitled to his opinion but all I can say is that we are sacrificing our lives to protect this nation. We are giving our best to the country.
“Does the Sheik have evidence to back up his claim? Can he prove it? This is unfortunate but that is his opinion and he is entitled to it.”
Photo Credit: Getty
