Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has appealed to the terrorists who abducted some passengers of the Abuja-Kaduna-bound train on March 28, 2022, to free them “in the name of God”.
This comes after the cleric had formed an advocacy group aimed at championing the rights of Fulani herders.
Gumi announced the creation of a group, to be known as ‘Nomadic Rights Concern’, during his Ramadan sermon at the Sultan Bello Mosque, in Kaduna. According to him, it will bring attention to the abuses and violations of the rights of Fulani herders.
“We appeal to you (the bandits) to fear God and take the path of peace. You should emulate one of you who have just unconditionally released all captives under him; he repented and sought God’s forgiveness”, Gumi added.
Speaking on the advocacy group, Gumi said, “We found it worthwhile to establish ‘Nomadic Rights Concern’, to be headed by Prof. Umar Labbo. NORIC is supposed to be a channel whereby nomads will have their complaints and agitation addressed to the right authorities.
“So many have complaints about the loss of family members. Others are in the prisons of security apparatus for many years without offence and trial in a competent court of justice. The organisation was established to address these fallouts; hopefully, nomads will follow the civil ways in addressing their grievances away from violence. It’s said that violence is the language of the unheard”.
Before he created the organisation, Gumi had visited some of the armed bandits and cattle-herders in the forests in Zamfara and Niger States.
He also took medical services to them and has been urging the Federal Government to grant them amnesty as they did to the Niger-Delta militants.
The Ramadan lecture attracted thousands of in-person listeners and viewers on Facebook.
