Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has called on the Nigerian government to adopt negotiation as a key method for dealing with banditry and Boko Haram, saying military action alone has failed to end the violence. He made this known on December 20, 2025, through a post shared on his Facebook page in Nigeria.
Gumi said dialogue has worked before and should not be abandoned, pointing to the peace process with Niger Delta militants as an example where talks helped to reduce violence. He argued that continued reliance on force has not brought an end to insecurity, noting that the country has been battling Boko Haram for over a decade and bandit groups for several years with no clear victory.
According to him, the ongoing conflicts show a pattern where hatred and violence feed each other, leading to a cycle that never ends. He explained that when one side responds to violence with more violence, the situation only grows worse instead of improving.
The cleric said breaking this cycle requires a shift toward negotiation and compromise, rather than repeated military operations. He added that resolving conflicts should involve intellectual reasoning, moral values and faith-based efforts that reject violence.
Gumi maintained that lasting peace cannot be achieved through war alone and urged authorities to consider dialogue as a serious option in addressing Nigeria’s security challenges, especially in areas affected by banditry and insurgency.