Popular Islamic cleric Sheikh Gumi has said that he will support a pardon for the convicted leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, if he shows remorse. He recently urged Nnamdi Kanu to call for peace, and Nigerians have been reacting.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Morning Brief, Gumi spoke on the current state of security in the country.
According to him, because Kanu openly agitated for Nigerian soldiers to be killed, he must show genuine remorse to make him champion calls for his pardon and amnesty.
Gumi stated that with Shagari once giving amnesty to Ojukwu and Umar Yar’Adua also granting amnesty to the Niger Delta militants, forgiveness is definitely possible.
“This Kanu that was imprisoned for terrorism for agitating that our soldiers should be killed, if this same Kanu now will show remorse and also call for peace, honestly, I will be in the forefront in calling for his pardon and amnesty for him.
Look, Shagari, our president, we are from the same town. Shagari gave amnesty to Ojukwu. Look at Umar Yar’Adua; he gave amnesty to the Niger Delta militants, who have also committed acts of terrorism. So, this is how we are,” he wrote.
The cleric further reaffirmed his stance that Nigeria must prioritize non-kinetic measures in tackling insecurity, especially in the Northern region.
Gumi concluded by saying that Nigeria would be safer and more stable if the government embraced dialogue instead of depending heavily on force.
“We have people who are ready to put down their arms, then why do you always decide it has to be kinetic?
Even America could not succeed in Afghanistan, even Israel could not succeed in a small strip of land. Our army is not designed for the gorilla; no army is designed for the kind of people we are showing now, no army is designed for it.
If you have been following, the Fulani herdsmen have been calling for peace. When you call them for peace, they come with their guns for many reasons.
Can you call IPOB for peace? Can you call Boko Haram? I think the former president has called for peace, and they came, but now it’s difficult to call for peace again. So, anybody who inclines to peace. I’m with him, I’m telling you,” he added.
