A Father of Bandits or a False Prophet?

By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com

Why Sheikh Ahmad Gumi’s Defense of Terrorists Threatens Nigeria’s Unity and Insults the Victims of Violence.

When a nation begins to call evil “OUR CHILDREN,” morality collapses. Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, a Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, has crossed that dangerous moral line with his recent remarks: “I WILL NOT ALLOW TRUMP TO KILL MY RELATIVES IN THE FOREST. THE TERRORISTS ARE OUR CHILDREN; WE MUST PROTECT THEM.” These words are not merely insensitive; they are a slap in the face to every Nigerian whose loved ones have been kidnapped, maimed or buried as a result of TERRORISM.

Let us be clear, these terrorists Gumi calls “OUR CHILDREN” are responsible for burning down villages, raping women, murdering farmers and kidnapping schoolchildren in the North. They have turned northern Nigeria into a graveyard of broken dreams and shattered families. Their victims are not just statistics; they are Nigerians like you and me, citizens whose only crime was being at the wrong place when evil came calling.

For over a decade, terrorism and banditry have ravaged Nigeria’s North-West and North-East. Reports by the Global Terrorism Index show that Nigeria ranks among the top 10 countries most affected by terrorism since 2015. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) estimates that more than 8 million Nigerians have been displaced by violence in the North. The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) recorded over 13,000 deaths caused by banditry and insurgency between 2021 and 2024 alone. These are not “CHILDREN IN NEED OF PROTECTION”; they are armed criminals and killers who deserve JUSTICE not SYMPATHY.

Sheikh Gumi’s attempt to emotionally blackmail the public (by portraying terrorists as misunderstood “RELATIVES in the FORESTS”) is a dangerous distortion of both FAITH and HUMANITY. Religion should be a tool for healing not an excuse for crime. When a cleric with a national platform begins to sound like a defense attorney for mass murderers, the soul of the nation is in jeopardy.

The Hypocrisy of Selective Justice. Nigeria is a country where law often bends before power. Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), was arrested and detained for years on charges of TREASON and TERRORISM. Yet, Sheikh Gumi (who has met, negotiated and publicly defended armed terrorists) walks freely, even giving televised interviews where he calls for leniency toward those who have slaughtered Nigerians.

Is terrorism now defined by GEOGRAPHY or RELIGION? Why is Gumi’s speech treated as “PEACE ADVOCACY” while others’ dissenting opinions are labeled as national threats? This selective justice only deepens division. The Nigerian Constitution, under Section 42, prohibits discrimination based on RELIGION, ETHNICITY or REGION. Justice must be BLIND not BLINDFOLDED.

Gumi’s rhetoric has been repeatedly condemned by security experts and legal scholars. In 2021, the Nigerian Army warned that his comments “UNDERMINED NATIONAL SECURITY and EMBOLDENED CRIMINALS.” Even moderate northern clerics have distanced themselves from him, describing his approach as “DANGEROUSLY SYMPATHETIC.” Yet, he continues to walk the streets freely, unchallenged by the same government that silences journalists for lesser offenses.

The Cost of Condoning Evil. Every time Nigeria delays justice, terror grows stronger. The National Bureau of Statistics reports that more than 3,600 schools have been closed across northern states due to banditry, leaving millions of children without education. Farmers in Katsina, Zamfara and Kaduna can no longer access their lands, triggering food insecurity nationwide. Inflation on basic food items such as rice, maize and beans has skyrocketed by more than 60% in the last three years, according to the World Bank’s 2024 Africa Economic Outlook.

When Sheikh Gumi says, “WE MUST PROTECT THEM,” whom exactly is he protecting? Certainly not the displaced WIDOWS in Zamfara, ORPHANS in Borno or FARMERS in Niger State. His words protect only the interests of those who profit from chaos; the powerful networks of arms smugglers, corrupt officials and opportunists who have turned insecurity into an economy of blood.

As political philosopher Edmund Burke once warned, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” By defending terrorists under the guise of religion, Gumi has not only done “NOTHING”; he has actively contributed to evil’s triumph by giving it a moral cloak.

The Role of Religion: Healing or Hypocrisy?
Religion should never be weaponized to excuse barbarism. The Holy Qur’an itself states CLEARLY in Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:32: “Whoever kills a soul, it is as if he has slain mankind entirely.” Islam, like Christianity, condemns the taking of innocent life. No legitimate interpretation of ISLAM supports KIDNAPPING, RAPE or the BURNING of VILLAGES.

As the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu once said, “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” By choosing neutrality (or worse, defense) in the face of bloodshed, Gumi has abandoned the prophetic duty of TRUTH TELLING. The clerical robe is not a license for hypocrisy.

The Double Standards of the North and the Division of the South. It is often said that the North is united in defending its own, while the South remains divided at every turn. Gumi’s case proves this painfully true. When a northern cleric openly sympathizes with terrorists, northern leaders rush to silence criticism. Then when a southern activist demands justice or equity, he is branded an enemy of the state.

This hypocrisy fuels resentment and weakens the fragile fabric of national unity. A nation cannot survive when moral codes differ based on tribe or region. Justice must be equal for all; whether you are a herder in Zamfara or an activist in Enugu.

The unity of Nigeria depends not on political slogans but on moral consistency. As Nelson Mandela once said, “There is no such thing as part freedom. You are either free or you are not.” Likewise, there is no such thing as part justice. You are either against terrorism or you are not.

What Must Be Done. Nigeria cannot afford to tolerate double standards in the fight against terrorism. Sheikh Gumi must be investigated and prosecuted under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, which criminalizes any act of support, encouragement or harboring of terrorists. This is not persecution; it is the application of the law.

Secondly, the government must prioritize victims over narratives. Instead of debating the “HUMANITY” of terrorists, attention should be directed toward rebuilding destroyed communities, compensating victims and ensuring that children in IDP camps return to school.

Thirdly, religious bodies must reclaim the moral high ground. The Council of Ulama and Christian associations must condemn any cleric who misuses faith to justify crime. The pulpit should never become a platform for political propaganda or moral confusion.

Lastly, Nigerians (North and South) must unite in one voice against terrorism. EVIL has no TRIBE, RELIGION or REGION. It only thrives where silence reigns. According to George O. Sylvester “Evil does not grow by strength; it grows by silence.”

The Hard Truth: The Price of Silence. THE TIME HAS COME TO DRAW A MORAL LINE. Sheikh Ahmad Gumi’s words are not harmless; they are a DAGGER in the HEART of JUSTICE. Nigeria cannot continue to excuse evil because it wears the mask of RELIGION or ETHNICITY.

As philosopher John Stuart Mill once wrote, “Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends than that good men should look on and do nothing.” Every time a leader defends terrorists, every time a cleric excuses murderers and every time citizens remain silent in the face of evil, the nation sinks deeper into moral decay.

We cannot protect terrorists and expect peace. We cannot defend criminals and expect safety. And we cannot choose silence and expect freedom.

TRUTH, JUSTICE and COURAGE must now speak louder than FEAR, HYPOCRISY and DECEIT.

I ask again, since when sympathy for killers becomes treason? Gumi’s defense of bandits is an insult to every Nigerian grave.