Popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has expressed that bandits are committing terrorism but they are not terrorists.
Gumi stated this in an interview he granted Daily Trust.
He said calls for the government to declare bandits as terrorists was driven by prejudice and bigotry.
He spoke before a Federal High Court in Abuja declared bandits as terrorists.
“That is unfortunately driven by prejudice and bigotry. IPOB is an organization, it does not mean Igbo. Boko Haram is an organization and it does not mean Kanuri.”
“So you can declare Boko Haram terrorists, you can declare IPOB terrorists. In this case what are you going to declare terrorists?
“Bandit is a vague description. What are you declaring? You want to say herdsmen are terrorists? That is one. Secondly, IPOB now is declared a terrorist, how has it changed? America, European Union, everywhere did not recognized that declaration.
“They have not sanctioned them, stopped them from travelling, contributing money, probably because they are not us, they are them.
“And in this case, if you say Fulani herdsmen are terrorist because that is the only words you say, you cannot say bandits are terrorists, bandits commit terrorism but they are not terrorists.”
