Sheikh Gumi Urges FG to Shift from Military Spending to Dialogue with Armed Groups

Islamic cleric and security commentator Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has called on the Federal Government to rethink its heavy reliance on military operations and instead pursue dialogue with armed groups across Nigeria.

Gumi, speaking in a recent interview, warned that lasting peace cannot be achieved through force alone. “Negotiations remain the most practical path to resolving Nigeria’s worsening security crisis,” he said.

The cleric criticized the government’s “kinetic” approach, asserting that military campaigns have consistently failed to restore peace and often exacerbate violence. Addressing those in power, he added: “Even IPOB, who wants succession, if they lay down arms and negotiate, I will support them. We can’t keep buying guns while society burns.”

According to Gumi, massive security allocations have not translated into stability, with funds sometimes failing to tackle the root causes of unrest. “If you give the military money, they will go and buy houses abroad. We need to break the cycle of using guns as a solution,” he said.

He argued that eliminating insurgent leaders or conducting repeated military raids has done little to weaken extremist groups, often fueling cycles of retaliation and recruitment. The cleric highlighted that insecurity continues to spread across the North-East, North-West, and parts of the South-East, showing that the current strategy urgently needs review.

Gumi also questioned the government’s spending priorities, suggesting that funds devoted to warfare could be better used to improve social and economic conditions. He pointed to Nigeria’s failing infrastructure, poor roads, unstable electricity, and weak social services as factors that contribute to unrest. “Electricity is erratic and very expensive. Roads are terrible. Nothing is working here. Spending that money on defense is just wasting resources,” he said.

The cleric’s remarks underscore growing calls for a more comprehensive approach to Nigeria’s security challenges, emphasizing dialogue, development, and social investment over military might.