By Adetunji Ayobrown
In a terrain that does not leave room for any expediency, they vow to starve schoolboys to death and ‘the money they’ve been collecting from kidnappings they are buying weapons with them. Now the tale in details.
As it is, between herdsmen, guns and others, does fairness matter anymore? Not more than petty fights turned genocides when a group is empowered with AK-47, while others are armed-less. Even threatening to get anti-aircraft’ if the Air Force continues to pester them.
Never put logic before disposition. Gumi, the self-constituted emissary had several meetings with kidnappers and bandits in forests across states in the North. But many thinks, never join the bad wagon of people who are naïve, when cattle rearers turns arms dealers, it means diplomacy in nationhood had failed.
Leading a negotiation mission for the release of kidnapped school children of Government Science College, Kagara, Niger State. Though, many began not to appreciate Sheik’s gesture in values anymore and consequently upon this, the elders of North think his allegations were not a true representation.
But good or bad, the guys with the guns are herdsmen Gumi seems to know better and even took pictures with these kidnappers.
Lethargy and fatigue in the course of undertaking visits into the deep of the forests. With gun barrel in bandits’ hands, Gumi should know better what may likely happen. That as the use of a gun increases a sentence of staying in the prison, so is its availability, prone to usage. That should have never bothered a good leader.
Like ‘the devils of the jungle’. The more you fight them, the more they fight back. They don’t surrender. The cleric said soldiers carried out orchestrated killings in some communities in precipitating anger. Those holy teachings they refused in the mosques, for Gumi to think it would be better understood by them in the jungle is rather a waste of time and it is terrorism of highest order.
What is Gumi doing in the bush and why did police and army not arrest bandits? A seven-year-old boy’s question, asking his bewildered parents. Misinformation of fantasy; anyone in such better be well-prepared for a clever twist in answers an advice for such parents.
Strange isn’t it? As most Nigerians bluntly refused to fall for this, they want a better excuse. Negotiation takes time. A prominent Islamic cleric, Sheik Ahmad Gumi is now Nigeria’s only assurance that the students and other abductees would be released.
Making our foolishness glaring. It is understandable why jungle fever never catches Gumi as he went straight deep into the forest. Gumi took photos with bandits. Governor Masari held negations with them while Governor Mutawale holds meetings with them. Minister, governors now speaking for terrorists some Nigerians had pointed out long ago. Uninteresting stories possible nowhere else but only in Nigeria.
Fascinating and hilarious, how is it that Sheikh Gumi can jump into forests in Zamfara and Niger, and locate the whereabouts of bandits and killer herdsmen, but both the Nigerian Army and Nigerian police can’t locate and exterminate terror?
What we need as a nation is in the basket, but one silly false move may end the nation in the caskets. That Gumi only can locate bandits and herdsmen hideouts but our security agencies cannot not to mention prevention of such is laughable.
But what politeness does Gumi expect from herdsmen armed with guns? Killings by bandits mostly accidental said Sheikh Gumi. But what do you do with an equipment like AK-47, except killings? With such cruel minds and hands, we can all see now what such dangerous weapons are capable off.
Difficult to talk when you are being spotted smoulder. Perhaps, he is right without a doubt. Why Nigeria mighty military and its intelligence knew nothing about their location and whereabouts, what special resources are at there at Gumi’s disposal. This case is rather not funny while pondering but eccentric to the stupor.
Justice fever should begin to catch those responsible by now, if only we are sane. After the kidnapping at Kagara, Niger State, Gumi also visited the state and held a meeting with some bandits. Justifying call for extension of amnesty to the South.
But you can’t contain machines of guns. Someone want everyone to carry a gun should also be included for the country to have a national fresh start.
Peace in echoes of chaos but sure of himself. Gumi insisted that the bandits involved in kidnappings were not foreigners, but Nigerians.
Except we all resists norm to chaos. The prominent cleric had after a meeting with bandits in Zamfara State forests urged government to grant them amnesty.
Trust one another but never blink Nigeria’s style. Extend amnesty to bandits in South, everyone with gun, Gumi’s opinion. That amnesty he proposed for bandits in the North should be extended to the Fulani involved in kidnappings in the South.
That is horrible and this is sequel. That he knew much about them. Gumi stated categorically that these bandits involved in kidnappings were not foreigners, but Nigerians.
Self-defence isn’t murder, but predetermined. That someone with guns ready, no one will believe that killings by bandits are mostly accidental. And it is not murder when the other guy doesn’t have any weapon, shooting him is forgivable seems confusing.
Don’t be slit… no medicine in a sword fight. If you see rattle snake don’t move, another lesson Gumi story teaches. More than just concerns, many openly expressed concerns over the country’s security situation. Many still in ponder. Asking how possible it could be for a popular Islamic Scholar, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi to locate and take photographs with bandits and herdsmen, whereas the Nigerian Army and Police could not identify those locations.
Better we all acquire these lessons which we were never taught. More than the ordinary when you can go where others cannot. After meeting the bandits, Gumi claimed FG knows their hideouts. Gumi games challenge not only our national eyes, but collective mind on security co-ordinations.
*Ayobrown, Senior System Analyst, National Pilot Newspaper, writes via: [email protected]
