From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
The Federal Government has been called upon to arrest Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, for allegedly sabotaging national security.
Southern Nigeria Frontier (SNF) made the call in a statement in Ibadan, Oyo State, yesterday, through its spokesperson, Olufemi Lawson.
He described as appalling a recent statement credited to Gumi, where he claimed there would be a ‘big price’ for the country to pay if bandits terrorising the North West were designated as terrorists.
“To say the least, the SNF is not in anyway surprised by Gumi’s position, considering the fact that he has consistently positioned himself as the mouthpiece of these terrorists gangs, especially as the Federal Government continues to behave helplessly, despite the fundamental need to question Gumi’s unhidden affinity and strong solidarity with these elements.
“The continued failure of President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime to call Gumi for questioning is no doubt one of the major reasons the administration has been severally accused of being soaked in all manners of nepotism and running Nigeria like a Fulani colony.
“Gumi has continued to roam all over the place, acting as a link between the Federal Government and terrorists, as his intervention and utterances while doing this are another matter entirely. Doesn’t it look like we have a low-intensity war going on in the country when the government is now being subjected to the wishes of Gumi, in order to take a decision, on a matter of crucial national security?
“Whether they like it or not, we, in southern Nigeria, believe there is a low-intensity war going on, and if Nigeria is not becoming a failed state, Gumi should have by now been arrested and placed under serious interrogation by the security agencies. But they have refused to do this, up till this moment, because he is surely playing the game of some very significant persons, in the present administration.
“We make bold to say that Gumi or anyone still shielding these criminal elements at this point, are the real troublers of Nigeria, who are out, to continue to make life unbearable, not only for the suffering people of the North West, but all of us, as Nigerians.
“The position of Gumi, which unfortunately the Buhari presidency has remained silent over, shows he has no regard for Nigerians, and does not see us, as fellow human beings. Gumi is an integral part of the ongoing terrorism, codenamed banditry, and if care is not taken, they are bound to take Nigeria down.
“The actions of these terrorists and their supporters, such as Gumi, have put Nigeria on the precipice and they no longer behave like fellow countrymen. They are behaving like enemies of Nigeria and enemies of the rest of us.
“Once again, we are demanding an immediate arrest and investigation into the activities of Gumi, whose audacity at defending these crime against our people, has gotten to an alarming height. We shall also be petitioning the relevant members of the diplomatic community, International Criminal Court and the United Nations agencies over Gumi’s complicity in the crime against humanity, which he has become a vanguard of.
“Finally, we call on Nigerians, to be at alert and extremely vigilant, at this point in time. We would not surrender to these terrorists and their enablers, who are trying to take advantage of the silence of the Federal Government to impose their war on all of us. Nigerians must gird their loins and be prepared to defend themselves and their land against marauders, who are all over the place terrorising them.”