FG knows hideouts of bandits, killer herdsmen – Sheikh Gumi

Controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has accused the Nigerian government of knowing the hideouts of killer herdsmen and bandits.

Gumi said the federal government identifies the bandits and killer herdsmen through its aerial view.

The cleric made the allegations on a Channels Television Programme, Politics Today.

Gumi said the government was being careful because it realised the previous approach of killing bandits failed.

He stressed that the approach of attacking bandits was creating monsters out of the bandits.

Responding to how he located and dialogued with bandits while the government could not, Gumi said: “They (government) know. They see them (bandits) by the aerial view. But the military has learned its lesson.

“The first approach they had, when they go in and start killing— they realised is the wrong way and that they were producing a monster. They are now careful.

“The only element I am adding now is ‘look, don’t just wait and watch, go in and negotiate.”

Meanwhile, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed had said the government can not destroy forests where bandits use as hideouts to carry out their criminal activities.

Mohammed had claimed the ecosystem would be affected if the government decides to destroy forests where the bandits camp.