Islamic cleric urges decisive ground operations to tackle banditry while cautioning against civilian casualties.
Islamic scholar Ahmad Abubakar Mahmud Gumi has endorsed the creation of the Nigerian Forest Security Service (NFSS) as part of efforts to flush out bandits from forests across the country.
Speaking during his Ramadan Tafsir in Kaduna on Tuesday, Gumi called for decisive action against criminal groups operating in forest enclaves but warned against the use of aerial bombardments.
He cited the 2023 incident in Tudun Biri, located in Igabi Local Government Area, where over 100 residents were reportedly killed in a mistaken airstrike by the Nigerian Air Force.
According to the cleric, while firm and coordinated action is necessary to combat banditry, deploying bombs in forest operations poses significant risks to innocent communities living in or around affected areas.
Gumi noted that bandit groups in parts of the country have grown increasingly violent, attributing the escalation to what he described as external influences aimed at destabilising Nigeria. He warned that failure to act decisively could allow such groups to evolve into fully-fledged terrorist organisations.
He urged authorities to adopt strategies capable of dislodging criminal elements from forest hideouts while prioritising the protection of civilian lives.
