From Maiharaji Altine Gusau
A kaduna based Islamic Scholar Sheikh Ahmad Mahmud Gummi said, dialogue was the only option that could end banditry and insurgency in the country.
Addressing journalists in Gusau today, Gummi said, negotiation was the only option that could bring peace in the country particularly in the northern part of the country.
He maintained that the use of force would never end the insecurity challenges in the country, calling on the governments at all levels to dialogue with both the bandits and insurgents.
Gummi stated that most of the bandits he came across with during his visit to Zamfara forests have declared interest to surrender and embrace peace, lamenting however that, there was no room for negotiation.
“Many of them told me that they are not comfortable with staying in the forest and want to come out and join other people but are afraid of being attacked by the communities, especially the Yansakai”.
He therefore called on the federal government to give amnesty to the bandits as done to the people of the Niger Delta, concluding that, “If the bandits are given the amnesty, the issue of banditry would soon be a thing of the past”.
