…Condemns His Attempt to Incite Religious Crises in Nigeria
The attention of Citizens Watch Advocacy Initiative (CWAI), a pro-democracy, civil society and human rights group, has been drawn to the recent arrest of and prosecution of Publisher of Kaduna-based Desert Herald, Tukur Mamu, a self-confessed negotiator of the Kaduna-Abuja train kidnap.
CWAI is equally concerned about the uncontrolled and uncouth utterances of Sheikh Ahmad Mahmud Gumi, Kaduna-based controversial Islamic cleric, to whom Mamu is Chief Press Secretary/spokesperson. CWAI has observed that the utterances of the sheikh are capable of inciting innocent Nigerians and whipping sentiments along ethnic and religious lines.
First and foremost, the CSO has commended the frantic efforts of the Department of State Services (DSS) for the professional job and handling of the sensitive issue so far.
CWAI recalls that Mamu was arrested in Egypt precisely in Cairo International Airport on his way to Saudi Arabia to perform the lesser Hajj (Umrah) and was sent back by the authorities and handed over to the Nigerian authorities for further investigations, following petitions from well-meaning Nigerians both home and in the Diaspora owing to the role played as a self-styled negotiator for ransom payment on kidnapped Nigerians by bandits running into billions.
CWAI notes that many Nigerians in captivity of bandits were tortured and Mamu’s ignoble role was to negotiate for the captured or kidnapped victims to pay ransom to the bandits before they could be released. Therefore, we refer to him as an active participant in their ordeal.
In a release by the Executive Secretary of CWAI, Omoba Kenneth Aigbegbele, the organization noted that as a result of the recent upsurge in agitations owing to the role played by Tukur Mamu, the DSS swung into action and he is presently been investigated.
During their investigation and a search in his office and residence, a large cache of military accoutrements, huge sums of foreign currencies, debit and credit cards, cheques of various banks as well as other financial instruments/transactions were recovered.
As professionals, CWAI executives know what a Publisher earns, even when his newspaper/magazine enjoys the high patronage in terms of advertisements and sponsored articles. In view of this, CWAI makes bold to assert that Mamu’s lifestyle and job done are not commensurate with the large amounts of money found on him and, as such, the DSS has diligently approached the court for another 60 days extension to be able to conduct and conclude a thorough investigation.
According to our investigations, since the detention of Tukur Mamu, his boss Sheikh Gumi has been vociferous in his condemnation of the DSS action and has poured out his vituperations on the state institution as well as calling it all sorts of names in order to derail the investigation.
We have it on good authority and according to our findings that he has been going from one social institution to another, including social gatherings to preach in order to whip up sentiments on religious grounds and calling names, just as he is abusing the constituted authorities.
All these, the organization notes, are done with the aim of causing religious sentiments. In view of the foregoing, CWAI hereby calls on the law enforcement agents concerned to, as a matter of urgency, arrest Sheikh Gumi for hobnobbing with terrorists/bandits all these years, so that government will be in a position to confirm the true nature of the role he has all along been playing so as not to use his present garb as wolves in sheep’s clothing to deceive Nigerians.
CWAI emphasizes that the current security challenges to national unity and stability are partly founded on false perceptions and narratives of people like Sheikh Gumi and others who are allegedly fanning the embers of divisiveness with their preaching at social institutions and gatherings and giving active support to non-state actors and bandits who go up in arms against the state.
The CSO urges Nigeria to keep a close watch on the consternation, the provocative tendencies and utterances of Sheikh Gumi over time, especially as it relates to bandits and kidnappers especially along the North-West zone and have come to the stark reality and realization that indeed Sheikh Gumi should not be walking in the society as a free man.
We strongly advice that he should be made to face the law for his unfettered romance with these mercenaries. That Gumi’s arrest and interrogation will put an end to banditry in the North-West so that farmers will go to their farms without fear of being harassed or killed.
As we speak, more than one hundred Abuja/Kaduna train passengers kidnapped by terrorists since April this year, are still languishing in the hands of these kidnappers with their families suffering untold hardships and traumas under terrible conditions.
As agents of change and peace advocates, CWAI executives condemn in strongest terms these acts perpetrated by Tukur Mamu, and by extension, his master Sheikh Gumi, and insist that no one is above the law, nor has the right to carry arms against the state at whatever guise. We therefore call for an all out red alert to be beamed on Sheik by law enforcement and security agencies and call for his arrest, interrogation and prosecution and if found wanting, should be made to face the consequences of his action.
We assert that Gumi’s sustained romance with bandits has drawn wide condemnation from Nigerians for long, including the international community. As a person of interest considering his open relationship with bandits and kidnappers causing untold harm and threatening national security and his persistent call for amnesty to be granted to the bandits, calls for serious concern.
We are of the strong opinion that security agencies must be allowed to do their job dutifully and diligently and they must firmly discharge their constitutional roles and continue to ensure the safety of lives and property.
We also call on Nigerians citizens to be more observant and promptly participate in matters of security as well as hold people in authority to account.
At this juncture, CWAI further advises law enforcement agents to arrest and interrogate Sheikh Gumi promptly so as to serve as deterrence to others.
Furthermore, our organization advises security authorities to henceforth place him on red light so as not to set Kaduna State on the road to Golgotha. This is so important, as Tukur Mamu is the undisputed official spokesman of Sheikh Gumi on this vexed issue of kidnapping, ransom collection and punishment meted out to these Nigerians in captivity.
CWAI asserts that the apprehension of Sheikh Gumi is important and paramount to the peaceful elections not only in Kaduna State, but Nigeria in general, as he will provide vital information with credible and actionable intelligence on the whereabouts, locations, ammunitions, strategy and the modus operandi of these bandits and kidnappers to the authorities.
CWAI strongly believes that Nigeria is stronger together as a united nation, and has by far, greater potentials and possibilities. The freedom to express grievances and agitate for diverse causes cannot be absolute and should never extend to hate speeches, whipping up negative sentiments on religious grounds/ethnic sentiments to inflame nerves, including threats that hurt sensibilities of other groups and threats to security of the nation.
Gumi is now sermonizing falsehood to incite Islamic fanatics against the Nigerian state through his sermons in social institutions and gatherings, so as to divert attention of the security agencies. The DSS should arrest him forthwith.
It is in view of this that CWAI now advises DSS to thoroughly investigate Tukur Mamu to find out his links with alleged meetings with international commanders of terrorist groups when he was arrested in Egypt and also arrest Sheikh Gumi without further delay as well as immediately interrogate him to ascertain his veracity and culpability and the role he has played with the terrorist groups – operating in the North-West zone of the country.
With this brevity, CWAI hereby passes a vote of confidence on the Department of State Services (DSS) and all its operatives for this bold initiative for arresting a self-acclaimed negotiator and to with immediate effect, arrest Sheikh Gumi as a collaborator and alleged Master-Minder of all these ugly happenings in the North-West zone and beyond.
We urge and commend the lead management of the DSS for policy direction, execution and governance processes in the pursuit of human security objectives on which its intelligence gathering efforts are based and call on the DSS to rein on terrorists nationwide, especially main collaborators and persons of importance like Sheikh Gumi and Tukur Mumas should be thoroughly investigated and brought to book if found guilty, for Nigerians to close their eyes while sleeping.
