Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi has offered an explanation for why armed bandits kidnap, extort and kill ordinary Nigerians rather than targeting politicians, saying the violence is driven by grievances and revenge arising from earlier clashes with the military and local vigilante groups.
During an interview on PAP, Gumi said he had asked the armed groups why they targeted women and children. According to him, they claimed that when military operations began, they were told the mission was to tackle cattle rustling, but innocent members of their families were also killed.
He said the groups also complained that vigilantes arrested and killed their members, creating what he described as a cycle of bloodshed, revenge and attacks. His explanation was based on what he said the armed men told him during discussions.
Gumi’s comments come amid years of kidnappings, killings and attacks on communities across parts of northern Nigeria. However, his account represents the claims of the armed groups and does not justify attacks on innocent people or establish that all their crimes are acts of retaliation.
