Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, has stated he is willing to personally lead a campaign for amnesty for Nnamdi Kanu, the convicted leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), provided the separatist publicly abandons violence.

Kanu was sentenced to life imprisonment by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja for terrorism-related offences.

Speaking on Channels Television on Tuesday, Gumi said his stance stems from a long-held belief that negotiation, not force, is the most effective way to tackle insecurity in Nigeria. He added that the Nigerian military is not trained for guerrilla warfare, making a purely kinetic approach insufficient.

“Our army is not designed for a guerrilla war; no army is designed for that. So, since we have people ready to put down their arms, why must it always be kinetic?” he said.

Gumi cited historical precedents, noting that former presidents Shehu Shagari and Umaru Musa Yar’Adua granted amnesty to Ojukwu and Niger Delta militants, respectively, as examples of successful negotiation.

He also highlighted Kaduna State’s progress through dialogue with bandits, contrasting it with the situation in Zamfara, where negotiations have stalled.

The cleric rejected foreign intervention as a solution to insecurity, urging Nigerians to support homegrown strategies.

“I don’t want foreign intervention, tribal conflicts, or religious fires ignited in Nigeria. Our sovereignty is a red line,” Gumi said.
He acknowledged that while challenges remain, security is gradually improving, citing safer travel on the Abuja–Kaduna road as evidence.