From Molly Kilete, Abuja

The Department of State Security Service (DSS), Friday confirmed that it invited Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi for questioning.

DSS Public Relations Officer Peter Afunaya, who made this known on the service platform in Abuja, said It’s not out of place for the Service to invite any person of interest.

He said “Sheikh Gumi was invited by the Service. It’s not out of place for the Service to invite any person of interest” Afunaya stated in the message.

Gumi’s invitation by the DSS may not be unconnected to the allegations that soldiers and security agents were working with bandits to carry out criminal activities.

Gumi made the allegation when he appeared on ARISE TV on Wednesday, an allegation which the Nigerian army and the Chief of Defence Staff(CDS), General Lucky Irabor have since debunked.

General Irabor had at a meeting with retired senior military officers at Ibadan, Thursday, described those accusing the military of conniving with bandits to be hallucinating.

The Nigerian Army in a statement by the director public relations Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, had warned sheik Gumi, and his likes to demonstrate patriotism in building the peace, rather than being agents of destabilization by aggravating the current security challenges bedeviling the nation.

Onyema said that security agents have sacrificed their lives in the battle against insurgency.

He said “It is essential to remind ourselves that this same military, being accused of connivance, are the ones who recently put their lives on the line to rescue abductees of the Government Secondary School, Birnin Yauri from kidnappers,

“While the NA will not attempt to excuse the possibility of black sheep amongst its fold, it must be stated unambiguously that it will not condone any form of sabotage or aiding and assisting the enemy by any personnel.

Following the report incessant cases of kidnappings, murder and other terrorism acts of bandits operating predominantly in the northern region of the country, Gumi has become popular for advocating peace deals with bandits as he had at different occasions acted as a major role between the bandits and their victims during negotiations.

The Islamic cleric on Thursday likened the activities of the bandits to the Niger Delta militants, calling on the federal government to grant them amnesty like it did to the militants.