Nigeria: Greedy military leaders don’t want end to insecurity — Sheikh Gumi

Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi says the Nigerian military has financial interest in the country’s worsening security crisis.

Since Boko Haram kidnapped Borno’s Chibok schoolgirls in 2014, the Nigerian government has spent billions of naira waging war on terrorism.

The country is also plagued by kidnapping and killings carried out by bandits in the North who are gradually making their way to several regions in the South.

Gumi, who recently held talks with bandits in Zamfara, says the alleged criminals are ready to negotiate a surrender but the military is not “cooperating”.

He said it is all about money.

“They (the bandits) are complaining mostly against the military killing innocent people,” Gumi said during an appearance on Arise TV, on Thursday.

“They resorted to buying arms. How did they get the arms? They resorted to kidnapping people which is an end result of these military actions.

“Look, they are ready to drop these arms and return back to the fold of the Nigerians just for simple things; schools, hospitals, water.

“And there is an allegation: the military don’t want this conflict to end because of the billions of Naira they claim for fighting insurgency.

“So, the military is not cooperating.”