A prominent Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmed Gumi, yesterday stated that bandits are gathering money generated from ransom collected from their victims to acquire anti-aircraft missiles to repel any attack from security forces.
The cleric, in an interview, said bandits know the terrain of the forests better than the military which puts them at an advantage, insisting that the best tactic is not to use force but to pacify them.
Recall that the cleric, Gumi had met with some suspected bandits in a forest in Zamfara State.
Gumi also stated that most of the bandits had lost all their possessions to cattle-rustling and extortion.
The cleric said the bandits have informants in the armed forces who provide them with information.
He appealed to the federal government to forgive and compensate them after the meeting, adding that the activities of bandits may become a full-blown insurgency if the government does not act fast.
