Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has revealed that bandits he met personally told him the killings had gone too far, but that they felt they had no choice but to continue. Gumi said the armed men described the violence as a cycle of revenge rather than an independent campaign.
Bandits Cite Attacks on Communities as Trigger
The cleric said attacks on their communities by security forces and vigilante groups had pushed them to retaliate. As reported by The Punch, he made the disclosure during an interview on PAPShow, published on October 29, with clips circulating widely on social media on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
He recalled the complaints they raised about military operations that were originally aimed at tackling cattle rustling. "But why did they kill their women and children? Why are they killing their women and children? Why are the vigilantes arresting them and killing them? Why?" he quoted the bandits as asking.
Gumi said the men themselves were not at ease with the situation. "One of the bandits was telling us the bloodshed is too much," he said, adding: "They, too, are not happy. And they say they are forced to do it."
Fear of Being Killed Upon Surrender
According to Nigerian Tribune, when pressed on why the groups could not simply lay down arms, Gumi said fear of being killed upon surrender was a key barrier. "Because they thought they were killed. So, we need to reaffirm to them, to put confidence in them that they will not be killed," he said.
He used this point to argue that religious leaders carry a responsibility to push for dialogue. "So, we, as clergy, our own duty is to look at how to stop it. Let's stop the bloodshed. Let's come to the table," he said.
Arms Race and Foreign Involvement
Gumi also raised concerns about how the groups are armed, saying weapons were sourced through black markets. "Well, it's a black market, like drugs. It's a black market. If you just have the money, you get them," he said.
He added that money flowing into the groups often went straight into acquiring more firepower, driven by competition between rival factions. "There's an arms race. So, this den has more machine guns than this one. So, they should fear them," he said.
The cleric went further, alleging without providing evidence that foreign intelligence services could be playing a role in arming these groups. "Foreign intelligence definitely have a hand in it," he said, and when asked whether foreign countries could be supplying weapons to Nigerian bandits and terrorists, he replied, "It's possible."
Banditry has remained a severe security challenge across north-west Nigeria, with armed groups responsible for mass killings, kidnappings and raids on rural communities. Gumi has previously engaged some of these groups directly, advocating negotiation over military confrontation, an approach that has drawn sharp criticism from Nigerians who argue it risks shielding bandits from accountability.
Gumi earlier said deploying credible Islamic scholars to bandits' camps could help end the crisis in Nigeria's North-west and North-central regions.
