Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has sparked renewed debate over Nigeria’s security approach, arguing that the armed forces cannot defeat bandit groups through military action alone.

In a BBC interview, Gumi said government efforts must combine force with dialogue, noting that guerrilla-style tactics make outright military victory difficult. “Even the military says that in dealing with this civil unrest and criminality, only 25% is kinetic action; the rest depends on the government, politics, and local communities. The military cannot do everything,” he stated.

He added that irregular fighters often outlast state forces globally, asking, “Where have you ever seen the military defeat guerrilla fighters? Nowhere.” His remarks come amid President Bola Tinubu’s sweeping security reforms, which include changes in military leadership, expanded intelligence operations, and emergency measures targeting kidnappings and rural attacks.

Addressing past allegations of maintaining contact with bandit commanders, Gumi clarified that his forest visits for peace efforts ceased after the federal government designated the groups as terrorists in 2021. “I never went there alone… since that time we have completely disengaged from all contact with them,” he said.

Gumi defended dialogue as a globally accepted method, citing U.S. negotiations with the Taliban in Qatar as an example: “Everyone negotiates with outlaws if it will stop bloodshed.”

He described the armed groups in northwest Nigeria as mainly Fulani herders whose disputes over grazing lands have escalated into criminal activity, calling it an “existential war.” The cleric remains a controversial figure, having previously drawn criticism for remarks suggesting abducting schoolchildren is a “lesser evil” compared to killing soldiers.