Shoot-on-sight order hindering rescue of abducted Kaduna students - Gumi

Renowned Islamic Scholar, Sheik Ahmad Gumi, has said the shoot-on-sight order by President Muhammdu Buhari is hindering the efforts to negotiate the release of the kidnapped students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Kaduna.

Earlier in the month, Buhari had asked security operatives to gun down those carrying arms illegally in the forests.

Speaking with Daily Trust on Thursday, the cleric said some of the bandits he met in the forest during his peace meetings have assisted in identifying the leader of the gang responsible for the abduction of the students.

Gumi said despite identifying the leader of the gang, he has been unable to reach out to him because of the president’s shooton-sight order.

The cleric added that during his previous tours to the bandits’ dens, he met with more than 80 percent of their leaders, saying if not for lack of encouragement from some government officials, he would have met all the leaders to persuade them to lay down their arms for peace to reign.

Asked what needs to be done to get the victims released, Gumi said, “What I think is for the government to just relax and allow us to follow these people to teach them how to behave, admonish them and then negotiate so that they stop this thing. We are doing this for ourselves not for the government or any political party.

“We don’t want politicians to mess up our land because they will come and go while we remain here, God willing. So, we are not doing it for political reasons, we are doing it for ourselves so that we stop killing each other.”

Effort to get Kaduna State government’s reaction through the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, proved abortive as calls to his phone were unanswered.