A non governmental religious body, Islamic Awareness Coalition of Nigeria (IACN) has asked the Department of State Services (DSS) to immediately arrest a Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi over his inciting utterances in connection with the arrest of Tukur Mamu, a terrorists’ negotiator, recently arrested and detained by the DSS over alleged links to terrorists.
During his weekly preaching at Sultan Bello Mosque, Gumi had said Mamu was detained because of his role in assisting victims of terrorist attacks. The cleric, who said God has a way of testing a believer, added that the arrest of Mamu was God’s way of testing his faith, praying that Mamu would overcome it.
He said, “Take him to court to face trial. Keeping him in custody despite being a family man was just to intimidate him. This intimidation is also terrorism. Arresting people unjustly is also terrorism; just like the terrorists do by going to somebody’s house to kidnap him.”
A statement jointly signed by the religious body’s National Coordinator, Ahmed Imam Abubakar and National Secretary, Hajiya Binta Bakori, urged the DSS to arrest Gumi without further delay describing his action of turning the Central Mosque to campaign ground for Mamu as an attempt to throw Nigeria into further security challenges through religion.
‘’Apart from his unholy and suspicious rapport with Tukur Mamu whom refers to as his aide, Gumi has now resorted to connivance theory of applying religion to castigate the government and cast Tukur Mamu a pious character in spite of the overwhelming evidences reported to have been established against him.
Let it be known that IACN would not to fold its arms and allow a character like Gumi to subject Islam to ridicule and criminal tendencies in order to throw Nigeria into further insecurity challenges, and this explains why we are pleading with the DSS to get him arrested for questioning and possibly prosecution before he throws the whole country into chaotic situation.
As a matter of fact, let it be known to Gumi that we are aware of the fact that he and his aide have over the years turned the business of negotiation on behalf of terrorists and family members of the kidnapped victims into a huge business venture under the pretext of ‘patriotism’, consequently, we demand the immediate arrest and interrogation of Gumi, and we are not unconscious of the fact that the DSS has got all the capacity and ability to achieve this.’’
‘’Finally, we will like to appreciate and commend the DSS over the ethical compliance exhibited so far in the handling the arrest of Gumi’s Spokesman and negotiator, Tukur Mamu.”