By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
Popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has claimed that attacks on Fulani communities are perpetrated by non-Muslim soldiers.
A video recording of the cleric showed him addressing a large number of bandits, urging them to desists from kidnapping women and children because they were not the enemy.
Gumi claimed that the enemy were non-Muslim soldiers who attack Fulani communities just to stir the crisis.
Gumi, who spoke in Hausa, said it was wrong for the bandits to exact revenge on women, children and the elderly.
He said: “…..They didn’t see livestock, nor firearm. The person who is saying this is a soldier. But what I want you to know is that he mentioned the names of the soldiers that are doing this. They are not Muslims. You know in the military, you have Muslims and the ones that are not Muslims. I hope you know that? (His audience responded in the affirmative).
“The ones that are not Muslims on the inside, just to cause the crisis, they are the ones carrying out these killings. So, when you seek to revenge, you enter the town, during revenge, you are now seen killing men, killing children, killing old men, that is why people are agitated. Why would soldiers do bad stuff and when you come for revenge, you take it out on community folks? Let me give you an example. Just the day before yesterday, some people were kidnapped, among them was a woman dressed in hijab (Muslim covering) with her baby. These are the kind of things that affect the reputation of your cause.”
Reacting to the video, a former aide on social media to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, tweeting @renoomokri said: “I watched the video where Sheikh Gumi falsely accused Christian soldiers of killing Muslim bandits and herdsmen. I did not want to comment until I reached Gumi to confirm authenticity. I reached him last night. It is AUTHENTIC. Translated video coming out soon!”
Another tweeter user, @henryshield said: “How will our Soldiers on the battlefield feel seeing the nation they’re fighting for embracing the same terrorist they’re up against?
For @Chxta, also a Twitter user: “In a sane country, Sheikh Gumi will be brought in to explain this inflammatory nonsense. But his name is not Obadiah Mailafia”
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