Mallam Baba Yusuf, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Global Investment and Trade Company (GITC), has criticised the continued calls for negotiations and rehabilitation of bandits by Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, raising concerns over the implications of such proposals for victims of violent attacks across the country.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Saturday, May 30, 2026, Yusuf questioned the rationale behind Gumi’s position, arguing that it fails to adequately consider the suffering of victims and their families who have been affected by repeated attacks.
He said the debate around negotiating with armed groups should be approached with caution, especially given the scale of killings, kidnappings, and destruction attributed to banditry in several parts of the country.
Yusuf further referenced the cleric’s previous travel restrictions to Saudi Arabia, using it to question the credibility of his public interventions on national security matters.
He stated:
“Don’t forget that Sheikh Gumi last year was banned from entering Saudi Arabia, with a valid visa, which before then, by the way, since I think 2010, he has not been allowed to enter Saudi Arabia.”
According to him, such background raises additional concerns about the weight and international perception of Gumi’s advocacy for dialogue with armed groups operating within Nigeria.
Yusuf argued that while peace efforts and negotiations can be part of conflict resolution strategies, they must not ignore accountability or the pain of victims who have lost loved ones to violent attacks.
He questioned how proponents of negotiation expect grieving families to respond to proposals that appear to prioritise engagement with those responsible for mass killings.
He said:
“Bandit: What would they say to families of people that these people have massacred?”
Yusuf maintained that any discussion about rehabilitation or negotiation must include justice mechanisms and a clear framework that addresses the rights and dignity of victims.
He added that the government must ensure that its security policies are guided by both compassion and accountability, warning that any approach perceived as lenient could undermine public trust and embolden violent actors.
The GITC boss also stressed that insecurity in Nigeria requires a firm and structured response that combines military action, intelligence operations, and community-based security strategies.
He further urged policymakers to prioritise the protection of civilians and strengthen institutions responsible for safeguarding lives and property across the country.
Yusuf concluded by calling for national consensus on how to address insecurity, insisting that the experiences of victims must remain central in any conversation about peacebuilding or negotiations with armed groups..See More
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