Only Justice, Accountable Leadership Can Save Nigeria, Says Gumi

Renowned Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi yesterday attended an international symposium on peace-building in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, where he said for Nigeria to have lasting peace and security and to control the escalating instances of recruits into crimes and terrorism, the leadership must ensure justice and accountability in the management of public funds and use non-kinetic approach in managing the crisis.

Gumi, who was a discussant at the event organised by Kalthum Foundation for Peace-building Resilience Against Violent Extremism and Terrorism, said his mission was to discuss ways of finding solutions to the lingering crisis and insecurity that had displaced and devastated many families across the North, particularly, the northeast.

Various speakers at the symposium including Prof Umara Ibrahim of University of Maiduguri, the Borno State Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) chairman, Mohammed Naga, representatives of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, the army and the DSS all agreed that the use of fire power mostly being canvassed by the federal government cannot end terrorism or crimes associated with banditry and kidnappings.

Sheikh Gumi lamented that the leadership virtually at all levels are not interested in finding solution to the crisis or to even listen to advises that will lead to ending several challenges of insecurity but can waste time and resources to attend to weddings and other needless engagements that are not in the interest of the masses at all.

The scholar visited His Royal Highness, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Ibn Garbai El-Kanemi at his palace in Maiduguri. During the visit, El-Kanemi said through prayers and the efforts of the federal and state authorities, peace had been restored in many parts of the state and that most of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) had been resettled and were back to their various communities.

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Earlier, Gumi also visited the famous El-Kanemi College of Islamic Theology where he met orphans at a special centre donated by the founder of the college, Dr Abdullateef Areef Zaberdeen.

The children numbering over 200 are victims of the Boko Haram violence. They all lost both parents, and some of the parents were killed in their presence.

Impressed by what he saw, Sheikh Gumi said since coming back from Saudi Arabia over a decade ago, he has not been so happy and satisfied than when he saw the Boko Haram devastated orphans and how the founder of the El-Kanemi College of Islamic Theology (not Nigerian) dedicated so much resources to give them quality education, training and moral upbringing.

The Sheikh said going by what the students (orphans) demonstrated in terms of skill and knowledge, they can compete in Arabic and in western education with any student of the best private school in Nigeria.

Gumi commended the director of the College, Dr Muhammad Sani El-Bulaturee for his commitment and sacrifice in building the college to its status and his interest in providing quality education to the orphans.