Anger and disdain has greeted an offer by Muslim cleric, Sheik Ahmed Gumi, to act as go-between in negotiations for the freedom of 280 pupils and students of a primary and secondary school in Kuriga town of Kaduna State kidnapped last week.
On social media, many wondered why he enjoyed dabbling into such matters, recalling that an aide of his is facing trial over matters not unrelated to the attack and kidnap of passengers on a Kaduna – Abuja train nearly two years ago by bandits. Many Nigerians lost their lives in the train incident.
“What is his game this time around?”
“What relationship exists between him and the bandits?”
“What does he know?”
“In other words, he knows where to find them
“He knows where they are now with the victims
“He has their direct contact numbers,” were some of the questions and issues raised on social media.
As the anger and questions rage, bandits who abducted 16 residents of the Gonin Gora area of the Kaduna metropolis, are seeking a ransom of N40 trillion for their release.
Nearly two weeks ago, the bandits attacked the Gonin-Gora community, a suburb of Kaduna metropolis in the Chikun Local Government Area, taking away 16 residents.
On Monday, leaders of the community said the bandits have demanded an unreasonable ransom of N40 trillion.
A community leader of the area, John Yusuf, said: “The bandits have contacted us. They are demanding N40 trillion, 11 Hilux vans, and 150 motorcycles for the release of 16 people they are holding captive.
He was quoted as saying, “Where are we going to get this kind of money? Even if we sell the entire community, we cannot raise N40 trillion. Even Nigeria as a country has never made a budget of N40 trillion.”
He said the bandits invaded the community two times within a week. “The abductions happened twice within four days interval,” The Nation newspaper quoted him as saying.
“During the first attack, three people were kidnapped, while in the second attack, 13 people were abducted bringing the total number of people being held captive to 16,” he said, adding that a military formation should be situated in the vast forest bordering the community and the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of the state.
“We are pleading with the government to come to our aid by establishing a military base behind our community where the bandits take advantage of the bushes to invade our community.
“From our community down to Birnin Gwari is over 150 kilometres, is a stretch of the bush.
“We also have another stretch of bushes from Gonin Gora down to Niger State.
“So, when the criminals have free access through the bushes to our community. We are pleading with the government to help us,” the community leader pleaded.
Gumi disclosed his desire to dialogue with bandits who abducted the 280 pupils and students urging President Bola Tinubu not repeat the mistake made by former President Muhammadu Buhari, who refused to dialogue with bandits.
His words in a statement: “The government’s stand of no negotiation with the bandits is an unfortunate position. My advice is that the government should dialogue with the bandits not only for these Kuriga school children’s abductions but all cases.
“Also, the government should use the same approach it used in releasing passengers that were abducted on the Abuja–Kaduna train in 2022 to release the Kuriga school children and others.
“I am ready to lead a holistic dialogue between the government and bandits. It is my religious duty to do so for peace.
“I hope the present government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will listen by dialoguing with the bandits because the past administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari refused to do so.”