The Nigerian government has invited a Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi for questioning over his reported comments on the activities of bandits in the country.
The cleric was allegedly quoted as offering to dialogue with bandits who abducted 137 schoolchildren and teacher from the Kuriga community in Chikun local government area of Kaduna state on March 7, 2024.
The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), is a Nigerian federal agency responsible for collecting and analyzing disclosures from reporting organizations, to produce financial intelligence to other agencies combating money laundering, terrorism financing, and other financial crimes.
Last week, it listed individuals and some Bureau De Change operators as financiers of terrorism in Nigeria.
Gumi was also alleged to have accused the federal government of framing up its enemies by tagging them as terrorism financiers in his reaction to the identities of 15 entities released by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) for alleged terrorism.
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However, the Minister of Information and Orientation, Mohammed Idris, while addressing journalists at the State House, Abuja on Monday, said the federal government has zero-tolerance policy towards negotiating with bandits.
According to him, the security agencies will do their work if they feel that Gumi’s statements are “reckless”.
“The government will stop at nothing to get any kind of information that is required to solve our problems. The security agencies are up and doing.
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“Sheik Gumi and any other individual are not above the law, if he has suggestions that are good enough and that are constructive enough for the security agencies to take, they will take.
“But if they think that he is also making some statements that appear to be reckless, he will also be reprimanded.
“There is nobody above the law. Let me put it here. And I’m aware that he has also been a guest of security agencies to answer questions.
“When you make remarks, especially those that border on our national security it is incumbent on our national security to think further, and they are doing just that, no one is above the law,” Idris said.
