Fulani Herdsmen Don’t Attack Without Cause,’ Says Gumi

Islamic cleric and peace advocate Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has reiterated his call for dialogue with bandits and armed groups operating in northern Nigeria, insisting that the government must adopt a reconciliatory approach rather than purely military tactics.

Speaking during an interview on Trust TV on Friday, November 7, 2025, Gumi responded to questions regarding his earlier remarks that “the terrorists need convincing.” The interviewer had pressed him on whether it was still necessary to “convince” those responsible for killings, abductions, and widespread destruction across parts of the country.

In response, Gumi referenced a peace mission led by former Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda, saying the effort revealed that many bandits were willing to embrace peace if properly engaged: “Former governor of Bauchi State, Yuguda, was able also to go with his government delegation into the bush, and they met more than 5,000 bandits. They are all complaining. Those who have lost their parents, those who have lost their brethren, those from our hostility too,” Gumi explained.

Acknowledging the atrocities committed by the groups, the cleric maintained that while their actions were condemnable, understanding their grievances was essential to resolving the crisis: “When you say they have killed, yes, I know they have killed, and it’s wrong to kill anybody innocent. This is absolutely an obnoxious thing to do. We don’t support that,” he said.

He, however, argued that most of the armed herders were motivated by vengeance rather than ideology: “If you know their psychology, they are on a revenge mission. Everybody knows the herdsmen, especially the Fulani herdsmen. They don’t just attack people. We have been living with them for centuries. They don’t attack people without any cause,” Gumi stated.

The cleric called for a comprehensive peace framework that would unite the government and affected communities in dialogue: “What I think the government needs to do is to really bring them up together in a unison and in a holistic form, so that there is peace. And they are ready for that, because if you call them for peace, they come,” he said.

Gumi further contrasted the bandits’ willingness for dialogue with separatist movements like the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB): “It’s unlike the others, like IPOB. The government has been trying to dialogue with them. They still refuse. They are still behind creating separate states. They’re secessionists. Besides being terrorists, they’re secessionists. Well, these people are not secessionists. They want peace. They call for it. In fact, they even invited a lot of media,” he concluded.

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