Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has alleged that competition among armed groups to acquire superior weapons is fuelling banditry in northern Nigeria, while some of the gunmen claim they fear being killed if they abandon violence.
Gumi said some bandits he had interacted with expressed regret over the bloodshed but insisted that attacks on their communities and fear of retaliation had kept them in the cycle of violence.
The cleric made the remarks during an interview on PAPShow with excerpts circulating on social media on Tuesday.
According to him, some of the armed men admitted that the killings had become excessive, despite claiming that they felt compelled to continue fighting.
“One of the bandits was telling us the bloodshed is too much,” Gumi said.
He added, “They, too, are not happy. And they say they are forced to do it.”
Gumi said the armed men blamed military operations and vigilante activities for the deaths of women and children in their communities, alleging that such incidents had deepened their grievances and fuelled retaliatory attacks.
Quoting their complaints, he said, “But why did they kill their women and children? Why are they killing their women and children? Why are the vigilantes arresting them and killing them? Why?”
The cleric described the situation as a cycle of revenge, with attacks triggering counterattacks and further bloodshed.
“So, they feel it’s a field of blood, revenge, attack and counterattack,” he said.
Gumi argued that efforts to end the violence should include dialogue, insisting that religious leaders had a responsibility to encourage negotiations between the parties involved.
“So, we, as clergy, our own duty is to look at how to stop it. Let’s stop the bloodshed. Let’s come to the table,” he said.
Asked why the bandits could not simply abandon their activities, Gumi said some feared they would be killed if they surrendered or stopped fighting.
“Because they thought they were killed. So, we need to reaffirm to them, to put confidence in them that they will not be killed,” he said.
The cleric also raised concerns about the supply of weapons to armed groups, alleging that financial support and competition among rival factions were contributing to the proliferation of firearms.
He suggested that some individuals could be financing the groups, although he did not identify any alleged sponsors.
Asked whether bandits had sponsors, Gumi said, “It’s possible now. You know, it’s possible now.”
He explained that rival groups sought to outmatch one another by acquiring more powerful weapons, creating what he described as an arms race.
“They buy more weapons because there’s an arms race between them. You know, there are different groups,” he said.
“There’s an arms race. So, this den has more machine guns than this one. So, they should fear them,” he added.
On how the armed groups obtained their weapons, Gumi said they relied on illegal arms markets, where access was determined largely by the availability of money.
“Well, it’s a black market, like drugs. It’s a black market. If you just have the money, you get them,” he said.
He further alleged that foreign intelligence agencies had a role in supplying weapons to armed groups in Nigeria but offered no evidence to substantiate the claim.
“Foreign intelligence definitely have a hand in it,” he said.
When asked whether foreign countries could be arming bandits and terrorists, he replied, “It’s possible,” without naming any country or presenting evidence.
Banditry remains a major security challenge in northern Nigeria, particularly in the North-West, where armed groups have carried out killings, kidnappings and attacks on communities.
Gumi has previously engaged with some armed groups and advocated dialogue as a way to end the violence. His position has drawn criticism from Nigerians who argue that negotiations with bandits could weaken accountability for their crimes.
His latest comments place renewed attention on the alleged motives of some armed groups, the flow of illegal weapons and the challenges facing efforts to end the cycle of attacks and reprisals.
