Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has sparked fresh controversy after describing the kidnapping of schoolchildren as a “lesser evil” compared to the killing of Nigerian soldiers, while urging the government to engage bandits in dialogue to prevent further violence.
In an interview with the BBC shared on Tuesday, Gumi acknowledged that abducting minors is an “evil act,” but argued that it is not as grave as taking lives — especially in cases where victims are eventually released unharmed.
“Saying that kidnapping children is a lesser evil than killing your soldiers — definitely it is lesser,” he said. “Killing is worse, but they are all evil. It’s just a lesser evil. Not all evils are of the same power.”
Gumi referenced past incidents, including a mass abduction in Kebbi State, noting that the children were later freed without any fatalities. He maintained that such examples support his long-standing argument that negotiation remains the most effective approach to addressing banditry.
“They abducted children, and they were released. They didn’t kill them,” he said, adding that dialogue could reduce the risk of more deadly attacks.
