An Islamic scholar has passed away after reportedly suffering a stroke while delivering a sermon, leaving attendees deeply shaken. According to eyewitnesses, the scholar was passionately addressing the congregation when he suddenly lost balance and collapsed. Worshippers rushed toward the podium in confusion as the program came to an....TAP TO CONTINUE READING

The leader of US delegation on fact-finding of Christian genocide in Nigeria, Riley Moore, has revealed that there are more than 600,000 Christians Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camps in Benue state.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING

Writing on his verified X handle on Wednesday, the US Congressman, who had a one-on-one visit to the IDPs, decried their conditions.

DAILY POST reports that the US delegation visited Bishops and the Tiv traditional ruler recently.

“While in Benue, I met with dozens of Christians who were driven from their homes and subjected to horrific violence and now live in IDP camps.

“They told harrowing stories that will remain with me for the rest of my life. One woman was forced to watch as they killed her husband and five children. She, and her unborn child, barely escaped.

“Another woman’s family was murdered in front of her and her baby was ripped from her womb. One man’s family was hacked to death in front of his eyes and his arm was permanently mangled.

“There are more than 600,000 Christians in IDP camps in Benue State alone.These Christians should be able to live in their ancestral homeland without fear of genocidal Fulani,” Rep Moore said.

Controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has attributed the surge in banditry across Nigeria to what he described as an “existential war” being fought by Fulani herdsmen, urging the government to approach the crisis with a deeper understanding of its roots.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING

Speaking in an interview with the BBC on Tuesday, Gumi stressed that most of the armed groups operating in the forests are pastoral Fulani fighting for survival, not their urban counterparts.

“They are fighting an existential war… Their life revolves around cattle. In fact, they inherit them. They’ll tell you, ‘This cow I inherited from my grandfather,’” he said.

Gumi urged Nigerians to distinguish between Fulani herders and urban Fulani, warning against painting all with the same brush.

“They are mostly Fulani herdsmen, not the Fulani town. You have to differentiate between the two,” he added.

The cleric emphasised that the Nigerian military cannot shoulder the responsibility of resolving the crisis alone.

“We need a robust army… but even the military is saying our role in this civil unrest, in this criminality, is 95% kinetic. The rest is the government, the politics, and the locals. The military cannot do everything,” he said.
‘I Withdrew After Terrorist Designation’

Gumi also addressed criticism of his past peace efforts with bandit groups, revealing that he halted his mediation efforts once the federal government officially designated the groups as terrorists.

“My last meeting with them was in 2021. I made efforts to unite the factions and push for peace, but the government was not keen. When they were labeled as terrorists, I completely withdrew,” he said.

He refuted claims of collusion with the bandits, clarifying that his meetings were conducted publicly and with government awareness.

“I go there with the authorities. I don’t go there alone. And I go there with the press,” he explained.

VIDEO HERE

Gumi stirred more controversy when he described the kidnapping of schoolchildren as a “lesser evil” compared to the killing of military personnel.

“Saying that kidnapping children is a lesser evil than killing your soldiers, definitely it is a lesser evil. Killing is worse. But they are all evil. It’s just a lesser evil,” he said.

He referenced the mass abduction in Kebbi State, saying, “They abducted children, and they were released. They didn’t kill them.”

Pressed on what message he had for parents of kidnapped children, Gumi responded: “It’s an evil, and we pray that they escape.”
‘No Religion Prohibits Negotiation’

Reinforcing his long-held view, Gumi said nothing in the Quran or the Bible forbids negotiation with bandits, especially when it can save lives.

“That word [‘we don’t negotiate’], I don’t know where they got it from. It’s not in the Bible. It’s not in the Quran,” he said.

“In fact, it’s not even in practice. Everybody’s negotiating with outlaws, non-state actors, everybody. So who got it, and where did they get that knowledge from? We negotiate for peace and our strategic interests. If negotiation will bring stoppage to bloodshed, we will do it.”