A civil society organisation, the Coalition for Peace In Nigeria (COPIN), has called on the Department of State Services (DSS) to, as a matter of urgent national importance, arrest a Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi, over alleged romance with bandits/terrorist.
According to COPIN, Gumi should ordinarily be a person of interest, considering his open fraternity with bandits and kidnappers threatening national security, as well as his persistent call on the federal government to grant the terror elements amnesty.
In a statement jointly signed by the National Coordinator, Pharmacist Emeka Akwuobi, and Hajiya Fatih Yakub National Secretary, the peace advocacy group said Gumi has a lot of explanations to offer on the activities of bandits, especially those operating within the North West general area.
While commending the secret service on the professional manner it has handled the arrest of an acclaimed kidnapped Abuja/Kaduna train passengers’ negotiator, Tukur Mamu, the group insisted on the immediate arrest, interrogation and prosecution of the Islamic scholar.
“This is more so that Mamu, the bandits’ negotiator, is the undisputed spokesperson for the Kaduna-based influential Islamic cleric”, COPIN said in the statement
The group further noted that apprehension of Gumi is fundamental to a peaceful election, considering the fact that he will provide the Service with credible/actionable intelligence on the actual locations, and modus operandi of the terrorists, culminating in their arrest.
The group threatened to organise a peaceful protest in Abuja, and other cities, should the intelligence agency fail to invite Gumi for interview.