Insecurity: Northern Christian clerics applaud Sheikh Gumi over peace campaign

Northern Christian clerics have applauded efforts by Sheikh Ahmad Gumi towards finding a lasting solution to the spate of insecurity informed by banditry, cattle rustling and kidnapping in Kaduna State.

The General Overseer of the Christ Evangelical and Life Intervention Ministry, Sabon Tasha, Kaduna, Pastor Yohanna Buru said Gumi’s move of venturing into southern Kaduna forests to talk to Fulani herdsmen on the importance of peace and unity in the country is highly commendable.

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According to him: “Only God will reward the Islamic scholar for dedicating his time toward visiting the Fulani in the bush, and to draw their attention on the need to embrace Islamic and western education with rearing of cattle.

“He is unique and quite different among all the scholars in his own method of approached to end killing, cattle rustling, kidnapping, armed banditry and the various attacks and so, we must applaud him for taking this bold step toward dialoging and educating the Fulani youth on dangers of drug abuse and involving themselves in unlawful acts in the state.”

Buru, however, added that: “The importance of peace cannot be overemphasized, hence the need for them to embrace peace, unity and dialogue with government to solve their problems in other to move the country forward.

Buru then called on all Islamic scholars to emulate the effort of Sheikh Gumi and to equally create time to visit the Fulani that are residing in the forest to educate them and sensitize them on peace building.

He then called on Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), the Council of Imams and Ulamas as well as the Supreme Council for Shariah and Islamic matters in the country to, as a matter of urgency, joined hands with Sheikh Gumi in taking peace campaign to all the people that are residing in the forest.

Similarly, another Christian cleric, Reverend Paul Elisha Ham, appealed to wealthy individual, CSO, NGO and other corporate organisations to support the Muslim cleric in spreading the gospel of peace throughout the 19 northern states in the country.

He also urged the Kaduna State Government to support the cleric with enough security whenever he is going to the bush for peace mission and urged government to include the nomadic youth and children in its skill acquisition program to reduce the number of unemployed youth.