Popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has shared his view on the factors driving violent behavior among Nigerian herdsmen.
Speaking during a programme at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, recently, Gumi explained that many herders live in deep isolation, disconnected from formal education and economic opportunities.
He said this separation from modern society contributes to their conduct and increases their susceptibility to criminal influence.
Gumi noted that without schooling or structured employment, herders often struggle to understand government policies or engage meaningfully with the wider population.
“You can imagine now, if we select 10 people here and keep them with the cows alone, with no communication with the outside world, come back after one year and see how these 10 people will be, ” Gumi said partly.
He added that the harsh conditions herders face make them vulnerable to manipulation and urged the government to prioritise education, communication access, and economic empowerment for pastoral communities.
This is coming a few days after the cleric criticised Nigerians demanding his arrest, insisting that his engagement with armed groups is aimed at reducing violence, not supporting criminality.
In a statement posted on Facebook on Sunday, he recounted a 2021 visit to Sabon Garin Yadi forest in Kaduna State, where he met more than 600 bandits alongside the then Kaduna Commissioner of Police, Umar Muri, as part of a government-backed initiative.
According to him, the meeting focused on persuading the gunmen to drop their weapons in exchange for security guarantees and basic amenities.
He said the bandits agreed to the terms but claimed the government failed to meet the conditions presented during the dialogue, which included an end to arbitrary arrests and improved welfare provisions.
The cleric argued that calls for his arrest ignore these past efforts and amount to suppressing free speech.
Gumi maintained that his critics prefer outrage to constructive solutions, adding that opposing views should not be criminalised in a country battling widespread insecurity.
