The ‘Necessary Nightmare’: The Controversial Preacher Backing Nigeria’s Bloodiest Warlords

In recent weeks, as the devastation wrought by bandit groups intensifies across northern Nigeria and public anger reaches a boiling point, fiery Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has amplified his defence of the gunmen—portraying them as wounded “avengers” driven by long-standing grievances and urging the nation to pursue amnesty and dialogue rather than brute-force crackdowns.

Gumi first shot into national prominence in 2021 when he positioned himself as an intermediary between state authorities and the armed gangs. Venturing deep into their forest enclaves to broker hostage releases—often involving ransom payments—or holding what he described as peace negotiations, he became the most outspoken champion of granting them state pardon.

As he moves from one religious gathering to another and features regularly on both local and international media platforms, his stance has sharpened national divides. Some Nigerians see his approach as an unconventional but potentially sustainable route to security. Others insist his rhetoric trivialises the trauma of victims and inadvertently empowers the same outlaws terrorising rural communities.

The latter group has intensified calls for Gumi’s arrest, accusing him of shielding violent criminals, lobbying for their compensation, and undermining military operations—while claiming that agitators from southern Nigeria have been imprisoned for even less. Gumi, in characteristic fashion, often fires back, branding his critics “spineless fools” and maintaining that his interventions persuaded several fighters to lay down their arms.

“Banditry is not an attempted coup,” he insists.

• Born on 1 October 1960 in northern Nigeria into a distinguished family of Islamic jurists, Gumi is the eldest son of the revered Sheikh Abubakar Mahmud Gumi—the region’s first Grand Qadi—whose legacy helped deepen Islamic scholarship and jurisprudence in northern Nigeria.
• Frequently flanked by security operatives even during sermons, Gumi has repeatedly stressed that every visit he made to the bandits’ hideouts was conducted alongside government representatives and armed escorts.
• His national relevance surged in 2021 when he facilitated the release of 27 abducted schoolchildren, earning commendations from state officials and emotional visits of appreciation from relieved parents.
• Over time, his advocacy has revolved around two core arguments. First, he contends that banditry, grave as it is, cannot be equated with past coup plots or with the Niger Delta militancy—both of which ultimately received government amnesty. He has even gone so far as to label banditry “the lesser evil.”
• Second, he insists that constructive engagement—paired with efforts to tackle the economic and social conditions that pushed the gunmen into violence—offers a more durable path to peace than a purely militarised strategy.
• To him, the fighters are “men on revenge missions,” angered by historical injustices, yet “prepared to listen” if approached correctly. He urges the government to dedicate funding for integrating them into society before the conflict spirals further out of control.

Some supporters rally behind him…
Across northern Nigeria, Gumi’s message is gradually resonating with segments of the political and religious class.
“If I were Nigeria’s president, I would make Sheikh Ahmad Gumi my National Security Adviser,” declares Kaduna-based politician Nuhu Sada.

He applauds the cleric for “venturing into the wilderness, preaching to armed groups, guiding them toward repentance, and establishing learning centres in Jere, Kaduna, and Katari—efforts he claims persuaded more than 2,000 men to abandon banditry.”
These assertions, however, could not be independently confirmed by The Africa Report.

Yet the statistics tell a far darker story.
Figures from the National Human Rights Commission show that 2,266 Nigerians lost their lives to bandit attacks in the first six months of 2025. And between July 2024 and June 2025, some 4,722 people—including schoolchildren—were kidnapped in 997 separate assaults, with ransom payments exceeding ₦2.57bn, according to a report by SBM Intelligence, a geopolitical research group.

… while others are furious
Against this backdrop, Gumi’s overt defence of the gunmen is viewed by many—both in the north and the south—as an attempt to rationalise criminality, intensifying resentment and deepening ethnic, religious, and regional divides.

A stark reminder of the violence came in March 2022, when bandits attacked an Abuja–Kaduna passenger train carrying more than 900 travellers. Eight people were killed, dozens injured, and over 100 abducted in an incident that drew worldwide condemnation.

Emmanuel, 52, whose surname is being withheld, was among those seized and held captive for three harrowing months.
“They dragged us into remote forests I’d never seen,” he recalls. “At gunpoint, they forced me to obey their orders. They were merciless—we were chained like livestock.”

Ten former hostages from various northern raids, who spoke separately with The Africa Report, similarly described relentless brutality, rampant drug consumption, and the pervasive fear that governed daily life inside the bandits’ camps.

“The bandits are not like IPOB; they kidnap children for ransom—let’s be honest about their motives,” Gumi declared on national television in November, igniting widespread outrage and prompting calls for his arrest under the trending hashtag #ArrestGumi.

“Gumi’s focus on providing benefits to bandits is misplaced,” says Martha (surname withheld), whose child was among the 303 Catholic schoolchildren abducted last month in Niger State.
“We want our children returned, yet framing the abductors as victims makes them seem more important than the children they took,” she adds, openly criticising the cleric’s approach.

Yet not all parents share Martha’s indignation. Mohammed, 56, whose child was freed in 2021 through Gumi’s mediation, praises the cleric for his life-saving efforts.
“We are grateful for people like Gumi who can speak to them and bring our children home,” he says. “But we must also question whether this buys genuine peace—or merely delays the next attack.”

Understanding the context
Many of the bandits operating in northern Nigeria are Fulani herders, with fighters originating from Niger and Chad. Once ranked among the world’s deadliest militant groups, some of these armed pastoralists claim they are reacting to state neglect, perpetuating cycles of farmer–herder conflicts, revenge killings, and large-scale kidnappings.

Critics argue that Gumi seldom denounces their violent actions, instead framing them as responses to cattle theft and state aggression. In a widely circulated clip, he insisted that Fulani “have the right to retaliate when their cattle are stolen”—a stance opponents say legitimises violence and exacerbates North–South and Christian–Muslim tensions.

Balla Ahmed, a Kaduna-based analyst who frequently appears on local radio, told The Africa Reportthat while Gumi positions himself as a peace mediator, his advocacy does little to address the immediate crisis.
“In 2023, Nigeria’s Army Chief warned that a short-lived amnesty backfired, allowing bandits to regroup and target civilians,” Ahmed noted.
He added, “Bandits who receive ransom now appear on TikTok, flaunting cash and high-end gadgets. It is a clear signal that most are not genuinely seeking to reform.”

At the time of reporting, Gumi had not replied to requests for comment. “Northern and Southern critics often twist my words to inflame ethnic tensions,” he said in a broadcast interview. “But my goal remains dialogue that protects lives.”

Source: Araba Sey