The Department of State Services (DSS) has been asked to immediately arrest a Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi.
The Civil Society Organisation, under the auspices of the Coalition for Peace In Nigeria (COPIN), made this known in a statement on Monday by the National Coordinator, Emeka Akwuobi, and Secretary of the group, Fatih Yakub, respectively.
According to the group, Gumi’s alleged romance with bandits and terrorists was the reason for their call to the secret police to arrest, interrogate and prosecute the Islamic scholar.
The group said that failure of the DSS to invite Gumi for interrogation, the group would organise a peaceful protest in Abuja and other cities in the country.
The statement reads, “We have watched with keen interest the provocative tendencies of Sheikh Gumi, especially as they relate to the activities of bandits/terrorists operating within the North West general area.”
“The group noted with concern Gumi’s call for grant of amnesty to terrorists, who have killed and maimed thousands of unarmed civilians, including women and children, lamenting that of particular interest is the kidnap of the Abuja/Kaduna train passengers by the terrorists in April this year, with many of whom still being held under terrible conditions.
“The group believed that apprehension of Gumi is fundamental to a peaceful election, as he would provide the service with credible/actionable intelligence on the actual locations, and modus operandi of the terrorists, culminating in their arrest.
“Consequently, COPIN demanded the immediate arrest and interrogation of Gumi who it said by now, should be a person of interest to all intelligence and law enforcement agencies.”
“It said it would not hesitate to mobilise for peaceful protests in strategic cities, including Abuja, if the DSS failed to invite the Islamic Cleric for interview on all he knows about bandits/terrorists holding the North West States, and parts of North Central, to ransom.”
