*Bishop Kukah tells FG to immediately arrest persons with claims of ties with bandits
*Regrets FG’s failure to investigate individuals claiming close ties with criminals
*Insists it’s Govt’s business to find out those who claim to know where bandits are
*Urges security agencies to dig further on anyone who makes remarks on security
By Kenneth Atavti
The Bishop of the Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Matthew Kukah, has urged the Federal Government to interrogate individuals with claims of having close ties with bandits.
The clergyman raised questions about the Federal Government’s failure to investigate individuals claiming close ties with bandits.
He made this known in an interview with Channels Television on Tuesday, monitored by Nigerian Pilot.
His words: “It is clear that the Federal Government at the highest level knows what is going on, at least the intelligence community has an idea.”
“There are key Nigerians who are saying openly that they know more than they think the rest of us know, and I think that it is the business of the Federal Government to find out those who claim to know where the bandits are, those who are collaborating with the bandits”, he said.
Kukah also expressed his worry over the spate of kidnappings across schools in the country, adding that the abduction could have a psychological effect on the children.
His statement came shortly after 137 schoolchildren who had been kidnapped in Kuriga, Kaduna State, were released from captivity.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government said the Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, has been invited for questioning over his comments on the activities of bandits in the country.
Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and Orientation, disclosed this while addressing journalists at the State House, Abuja, on Monday.
“The security agencies are up and doing. Sheikh Gumi or any other person is not above the law. If he makes suggestions that are constructive enough for the security agencies to take, they will take but if they think that he is also making some statements that appear to be reckless, he will also be reprimanded.
“There is nobody that is above the law in this regard. And I am aware he has been a guest of security agencies to answer questions. When you make remarks that border on our national security, it is incumbent on the security agencies to dig further”, he added.
Nigerian Pilot recalls that the controversial cleric faulted the Federal Government on the continued use of force or kinetic means to secure the release of victims of kidnapping.
Gumi said the government ought to go closer to the bandits and study them to provide them with better living conditions.
