Renowned Islamic Scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has said bandits are committing terrorism but they are not terrorists.
Dr. Gumi, who stated this in a published interview he granted yesterday, said calls for the Government to declare bandits as terrorists were driven by prejudice and bigotry.
The cleric spoke before a Federal High Court in Abuja declared bandits as terrorists. His words: “That is unfortunately driven by prejudice and bigotry. IPOB is an organization, it does not mean Igbo. Boko Haram is an organization and it does not mean Kanuri”.
“So you can declare Boko Haram terrorists, you can declare IPOB terrorists. In this case, what are you going to declare terrorists? Bandit is a vague description. What are you declaring? Do you want to say herdsmen are terrorists? that is one; secondly, IPOB now is declared as a terrorist organisation; how has it changed? America, the European Union, everywhere did not recognise that declaration. They have not sanctioned them, stopped them from travelling, contributing money, probably because they are not us, they are them.
“And in this case, if you say Fulani herdsmen are terrorists, because that is the only words you say, you cannot say bandits are terrorists; bandits commit terrorism but they are not terrorists”.
According to Gumi, extra-judicial killings of Fulani is the major factor fueling banditry in the country.
