Sani Musa, the senator representing Niger East at the National Assembly, has asked the Nigerian government to question Sheik Ahmad Gumi, a Kaduna-based Islamic scholar, over his direct access to bandits.

He said this on a Channels TV’s ‘Politics Today’ on Wednesday while speaking on the Nigerian Senate’s resolution that the federal government should declare bandits terrorists.

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“Bandits have sources and leadership structures amongst themselves. I can recall that one of the renowned Islamic scholars, Sheik Gumi, was at a time going into the forest to meet these people,” Sani said.

“I think someone like him should be asked how he has the contacts to reach these people. If he can reach them, why has he not been able to help the government in order to get them neutralised?”

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On several occasions, the cleric has made comments believed to support bandits’ kidnap-for-ransom activities. In February, the cleric visited a group of bandits in the forests of Shinkafi and Gummi local government areas of Zamfara State.

Gumi was later invited for questioning by the Department of State Services (DSS) after alleging that security agents were playing a role in the insecurity plaguing Nigeria by collaborating with bandits.