Nigeria Should Negotiate With Terrorists, Bandits And Stop Wasting Billions Of Naira On Jets, Guns – Islamic Cleric, Sheikh Gumi

 

Aprominent Kaduna-based Islamic cleric and former military officer, Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi has told the Nigerian Government to embrace the idea of negotiation with the bandits and other non-state actors ravaging the country.

During an interview with Trust TV, the Islamic cleric stated that the government is wrong to continue spending billions of naira to combat banditry and terrorism.

According to him, the only way to secure security is for the government to engage in an open discussion with the terrorists.

He added that the root of security problems in the country could linked to the age-long farmer-herder crisis across the North and alleged that this could only be solved through negotiation and not war.

 Gumi also berated the Nigerian military over the recent mistaken bombardment of Tudun Biri residents in Kaduna State, adding that the incident is an indication for the government to strengthen the capacity of the police force to stop the military from interfering in the country’s internal security.

“This is not the first time such is happening. The military should fight the military. Tank by tank. Jet by jet. The military should be out of fighting insecurity. We are not fighting Cameroon or Togo,” the cleric was quoted by Daily Trust as saying.

 He continued: “And the jet fighters should not be used on citizens. I cannot imagine any American president, no matter how instructive, would use F16 to bombard Americans. Impossible. He would go down the next day.

“What we need are very good policies. Then stronger policing. That’s where our money should go. All those people should be involved in community policing.

“In every society you have very good people and they are the majority. Nigerians are very humble people; very resilient who can sustain a lot of hardship. So I don’t see why good governance and good policing should be a big deal.

“All the money we spend on buying all these Second World War aeroplanes and artillery and jets to fight insurgency is an archaic way of dealing with this issue. And billions of naira are spent on that.

“Negotiate with these people. Build for them schools and hospitals. Let them have future. Build for them markets. Even the people we call bandits, what they sometimes complain is that they no longer have cattle markets because whenever they establish market, it gets destroyed.

“So the military should be out of this picture completely. We are not fighting a foreign country. We should develop our internal security.”

Nigeria Should Be Competing With Russia – Presidential Aspirant, Tinubu Tells Reps

The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential hopeful, Senator Bola Tinubu, has queried why Nigeria would not be competing with Russia with all the resources at its disposal.

Mr Tinubu, said this at his consultation with the House of Representatives caucus of the APC on Wednesday in Abuja.

“We have God-given resources, capacity, knowledge, and the brain,” said Mr Tinubu. “We can do it. You can make me succeed with your support. I want us to forge a future for this country, we are the most populous, and we have the best brains and resources.”

The former Lagos governor said he was the best in the race to replace President Muhammadu Buhari as Nigeria’s president.

“There is no other one in the race hiding or open, I am the only one in the race and the most competent and most qualified to be your president come the year 2023.

“I am the only one who has been through tutelage. I am the only one among them who has been consistent in one party. They are not stable,” he said.

Mr Tinubu recalled that he started his political career as a senator, adding; “I am very proud of myself as a democrat because the essence of democracy is the assemblage of wise and prudent people.’

The APC leader commended members of the National Assembly for their commitment, adding that the legislators represented the crux of the people while commending them for doing well by advancing democracy.

He said he was at the assembly to request the support of the lawmakers.

“This is my lifelong ambition, which I discussed with President Muhammadu Buhari. I told the President that I want to step in his shoes and not step on his toes.”

Mr Tinubu said the President responded, thus; “come out, let’s see you and how you can promote your democratic credential,” adding that he has multiple honours, a first-class degree in accounting.

Speaking on his rumoured ill health, Mr Tinubu said: “They don’t have anything to say; they say I am not well, they are not my doctor. I am only here to do a great job, break the shackle of poverty.

Speaking earlier, Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, said that Tinubu was the man who put APC together and had declared his intention to preside over the affairs of the country.

He said that as the election was approaching, it was imperative to hear the message from those who wanted to govern the country, saying, “we have been hearing how many people are running for the presidency of Nigeria in 2023.”

The speaker, however, said that it would not speak well of the country when it boasted to be the largest in Africa and seven weeks before the primaries, only one person had been seen, one person running up and down consulting.

He said that Mr Tinubu had been traveling the length and breadth of Nigeria, marketing his trade and delivering his message.

“I feel it’s wrong for a country like Nigeria that we are only hearing names but nobody is campaigning. It is unfair to every citizen of Nigeria. We cannot take Nigeria for granted,” he said.

Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, leader of the party, however, urged members to support the candidacy of Mr Tinubu, adding that he had done a lot in contributing to Nigeria’s democracy.

He said that his emergence would bring about a truly democratic leader that would pilot the affairs of the country.

Mr Doguwa, however, put the aspiration of Mr Tinubu into a voice vote where members loudly gave an overwhelming endorsement to his bid to become the president in 2023.