Ahmad Gumi has revealed why the abducted students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Kaduna, are yet to be released.
On Thursday, March 25, Gumi revealed that there is serious apprehension now among the bandits following the federal government’s shoot-on-sight order.
The Muslim scholar said the criminals are very suspicious of anyone they come in contact with as they fear that such persons might be working for the government.
He further disclosed that the bandits he met recently in one of his peace talks in the bush told him they know the leader of the gang that abducted the students but that efforts to reach him especially since after the order was given have proven abortive.
Gumi said the federal government’s shoot-on-sight order is hindering the release of abducted Kaduna students.
Gumi said:
“Presently, our ability has reached the extent that we can identify who is involved in any criminal act. We have identified the leader of those who took the students but he has never attended any peace meeting with us.
“Those groups we met identified him but we could not reach out to him because of the security implication since the government gave shoot-on-sight order and then the government said no negotiation. So, I don’t want us to go into the bush and the government will think we are encouraging them.”
As a suggestion, the Sheik called on the government to relax and allow him and his team to soften these bandits into submission and repentance through negotiation.
His words: “What I think is for the government to just relax and allow us to follow these people to teach them how to behave, admonish them and then negotiate so that they stop this thing.”
