Gumi dismisses reports on brother’s abduction

The Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmed Gumi, on Sunday dismissed reports on the abduction of his elder brother by bandits.

An online platform reported earlier on Sunday that Gumi confirmed the abduction of his brother by the bandits who also demanded a ransom to free the victim.

However, in a statement issued by his media consultant, Tukur Mamu, the cleric branded the reports as mischievous, misleading, and diversionary.

The statement read: “Our attention was drawn to yet another fake news that the biological brother of Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Abubakar Gumi has been kidnapped by bandits.

“While it is not impossible in today’s Nigeria to even kidnap the Sheikh himself or even those in the position of power and authority as we have seen recently, we urged the public to disregard the fake news. The story some sections of the media are deliberately misquoting to give a picture ‘that the brother of the person supporting the bandits has also been kidnapped’ is mischievous, misleading, and diversionary.”

READ ALSO: Gumi gives reason for detachment from bandits

Gumi said the reports emanated from an earlier interview he granted the media where he expressed surprise that some persons think he was supportive of banditry.

The statement added: “For Gumi, all this is not enough reason to say he will not seek for peaceful resolution of the crisis for the purpose of preserving peoples’ lives and properties especially if we look back at government’s failure to address issues that will help in bringing the lasting solution.

“Military power alone or declaring the bandits as terrorists cannot end banditry and killings in Nigeria.

“May Allah forbid, in today’s Nigeria where the government has failed to address the root cause of the armed Fulani banditry and the security imbroglio, particularly in the North-West and to explore mediation like the Americans, finally adopted after over two decades of a failed military offensive in Afghanistan, people or the press should not be surprised if Gumi himself is abducted not to talk of his brother.”

“But the said story as we mentioned is not true and we pray it will never happen not only to Gumi’s brother but innocent Nigerians as a whole.”

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