By George Omagbemi Sylvester
Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, on Saturday, July 25, 2026, renewed his call for the Federal Government to adopt dialogue as part of its strategy for tackling insecurity, questioning why no government official has engaged Boko Haram insurgents and armed bandits in the way previous administrations reached out to Niger Delta militants. Gumi made the remarks in a post published on his official Facebook page.
The cleric recalled that former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo visited militant camps in the Niger Delta at different times, leading to the introduction of programmes that helped reduce hostilities and restore relative peace in the oil-producing region.
Quoting the previous engagements, Gumi asked: “Who is going to visit Boko Haram and bandits to tame them without fools castigating them?”
He argued that dialogue should complement military operations rather than be dismissed entirely as an option for ending years of violence in northern Nigeria.
Gumi, who has repeatedly advocated negotiations with armed groups in the North-West and North-East, maintained that peaceful engagement could encourage disarmament, facilitate the release of kidnapped victims and create pathways to lasting peace.
His position has, however, remained controversial, with critics insisting that negotiating with terrorist groups could legitimise criminality and undermine justice for victims of insurgency and banditry.
The Federal Government has consistently maintained that it will continue military operations against Boko Haram, ISWAP and armed bandits while strengthening intelligence-led operations to restore security across the country.
Nevertheless, Gumi’s latest comments have reignited the national debate over whether dialogue should play a complementary role in addressing Nigeria’s prolonged security crisis.
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