Political commentator Charles Ideho has called on Nigerian security agencies to arrest and question Sheikh Ahmad Gumi if they possess any intelligence linking him to criminal activities, arguing that mere warnings without action will not address the security challenges facing the nation.
Speaking during an interview on TVC’s Journalist Hangout, Ideho emphasized that the time for rhetoric has passed and concrete action is needed to demonstrate the supremacy of the Nigerian state over individual actors, regardless of their status or influence.
“If the security agencies, they know, maybe they have even a modicum level of intelligence, social evidence to say that this guy maybe, maybe an accomplice or something, they should take him and then bring him in for questioning,” Ideho stated emphatically.
His comments came against the backdrop of the Defense Minister’s recent statement warning Sheikh Gumi and others who show sympathy to terrorists and bandits. General Christopher Musa had cautioned during a visit to Maiduguri that “a friend of a thief is a thief,” signaling a potentially harder line against those perceived to be enabling criminal elements.
Ideho pointed out that Gumi has been making controversial statements for an extended period, including calling bandits and terrorists “our brothers” and suggesting they are important to Nigeria’s existence. The analyst questioned what special knowledge or interest Gumi has that makes him so invested in the welfare of these criminal groups.
The political analyst also suggested that holding Gumi for questioning could lead to valuable intelligence about other influential figures who may be supporting criminal activities from behind the scenes. “If you hold him then question him, he may be able to name not just some politicians who also, you know, act as if it’s invisible,” Ideho noted.
Co-guest Kayode Ladeinde supported this position, arguing that there should be “no sympathy for those people who are holding the community to ransom.” He added that even killing one life makes a person undeserving of sympathy, and the state should “wield its big stick.”
Both analysts agreed that the Minister of Defense’s statement should not remain mere words but should be followed by concrete action. They emphasized that Nigeria cannot afford to have individuals who appear to operate above the law, particularly on matters as sensitive as national security and terrorism.
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