Renowned Northern Islamic cleric, Ahmad Abubakar Mahmoud Gumi, has denied allegations linking him with banditry and terrorism, insisting that he would never support any agenda aimed at destroying Nigeria.

Speaking during a press conference in Kaduna on Monday, Gumi stated that his advocacy for dialogue and rehabilitation of bandits had been deliberately distorted by what he described as “ethnic-interest groups” and sensational online content creators.

“I have no other country but Nigeria, so I will not support anything that will lead to its destruction. I will never support terrorists to destroy the country,” he said.

The cleric defended his long-standing call for a non-kinetic approach to tackling insecurity, particularly banditry and insurgency in Northern Nigeria.

According to him, Nigeria has relied mainly on military force since the killing of the Boko Haram leader in 2009, yet insecurity has continued to spread across states such as Katsina, Zamfara, and Niger.

Gumi argued that previous peace initiatives in states like Katsina and Zamfara focused largely on financial inducements for bandits without addressing the root causes of the crisis.

He advocated a broader rehabilitation framework involving dialogue with armed groups, dislodging them from forests, enrolling their children in schools, and creating pathways for surrender through structured amnesty programmes.

“These people told us they are ready to lay down their arms, but what are their conditions? Has anybody listened to them?” he queried.

The cleric added that many bandits fear arrest or possible attacks after surrendering, stressing that confidence-building measures would be necessary for any peace process to succeed.

Drawing comparisons with the rehabilitation of repentant Boko Haram members, Gumi argued that similar measures could yield better outcomes than prolonged military confrontation.

“From the number of Boko Haram repentants, which are in thousands, you can see that the same approach can be applied to the bandits,” he stated.

He also called for moral reforms in governance, condemning corruption and insisting that criminality should not be tolerated in any form.

“We need sanity in governance. We don’t want to hear stories of government officials swallowing billions of naira while talking about fighting criminals. Crime is crime,” he added.

Gumi further urged peaceful coexistence among ethnic and religious groups across the country.
In a separate statement issued in Kaduna on May 23, 2026, the cleric expressed concern over what he described as persistent misrepresentation of his views in media interviews, lectures, and online discussions.

“I hereby state unequivocally that any video clip, written statement, or message attributed to me — whether directly or by innuendo — suggesting support for, justification of, protection of, or advocacy for banditry or terrorism in Nigeria or anywhere else does not emanate from me,” the statement read.

He urged the public, media organisations, and government authorities to disregard what he termed “fake, manipulated and doctored materials” being circulated about him, warning that those spreading falsehoods against him could face legal action.

The cleric also expressed optimism that Nigeria would eventually overcome insecurity through collective efforts aimed at addressing poverty, ignorance, and social injustice, which he identified as major drivers of violence.