Controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, announced he would be in the forefront calling for the pardon and amnesty of convicted Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, provided Kanu publicly demonstrates remorse and calls for peace.
Gumi made the comments during an interview on Channels TV where he also defended his long-standing advocacy for the Nigerian government to prioritize a non-kinetic, dialogue-based approach to addressing insecurity across the country, especially in the North. Kanu was recently convicted by the Federal High Court in Abuja on seven counts of terrorism.
Gumi made reference to two key historical Nigerian amnesties to support his argument for reconciliation. First was the event where President Shehu Shagari granted amnesty to Biafran separatist leader Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu and second was President Umaru Yar’Adua granting amnesty to Niger Delta militants.
Gumi stressed that amnesty and reconciliation are integral to Nigerian political practice, arguing, that “this is how we are,” and that forgiveness is necessary for sustainable peace.
The cleric reiterated his belief that military force alone (the kinetic approach) is failing to resolve Nigeria’s security challenges, which include banditry, insurgency, and communal conflicts.
Gumi argued that the Nigerian Army is not designed for the guerrilla warfare that asymmetric conflicts require, stating that other global powers like the US in Afghanistan and Israel in contested areas have similarly struggled with military-only solutions.
He emphasized that the government should prioritize non-violent measures like dialogue and reconciliation to stop the “bleeding” and address the root causes of violence, rather than solely relying on military action.
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