…Questions heavy military spending
Controversial Islamic cleric and security commentator, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has urged the Federal Government to reconsider its heavy spending on military operations and instead pursue dialogue with armed groups such as the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Boko Haram and bandits as part of efforts to end Nigeria’s worsening security crisis.
Speaking during a recent interview, Gumi said he could support groups like IPOB, Boko Haram or bandits if they agreed to lay down their arms and embrace peaceful negotiations with the government.
According to him, dialogue remains one of the most practical ways to resolve conflicts and restore lasting peace across the country. “Dialogue can bring peace, and we are men of peace. Even IPOB, which once pushed for secession, if they are ready to put down their arms and come to the roundtable to discuss, I am ready and would support them. All we don’t want is violence”, Gumi said.
The cleric criticised what he described as the government’s over-reliance on military or “kinetic” strategies, arguing that force alone has failed to resolve Nigeria’s long-running security challenges. He warned that repeated military operations, raids and the elimination of insurgent leaders have not significantly weakened extremist groups but sometimes create cycles of retaliation and fresh recruitment.
According to him, the persistence of attacks across the North-East, North-West and parts of the South-East despite massive security spending shows that the current strategy requires urgent review.
Gumi also questioned the government’s continued allocation of huge resources to military campaigns, suggesting that such funds could be redirected toward addressing the underlying social and economic problems fueling unrest. “If you give the military money, they will go and buy houses abroad. We need to break the cycle of using guns as a solution”, he said.
The cleric lamented the poor state of public infrastructure and services in the country, arguing that issues such as bad roads, unstable electricity supply, weak healthcare and poor education systems contribute to instability.
Gumi maintained that a balanced approach combining dialogue, expert engagement and limited military action could provide a more effective pathway to resolving Nigeria’s persistent insecurity.
