A Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá, has urged United States President, Donald Trump, to intervene and compel Kaduna-based cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, to reveal the locations of armed bandits operating across Nigeria.
The organization claims that Gumi’s repeated public defense of these militias, coupled with his assertions of acting as a mediator, indicates that he is fully aware of where these criminal groups are based.
In a statement issued by the Union Convener, Olusola Badero, and relayed through the Home Director, Princess Balogun, the group warned that Nigeria is increasingly sliding toward lawlessness.
They criticized the repeated visits by officials to bandit camps under the guise of negotiations, asserting that such engagements have further weakened the nation’s counter-terrorism efforts.
“If Gumi can safely accompany journalists and officials to remote enclaves for what he calls ‘peace missions,’ then he should also be able to guide security forces to dismantle the same networks he frequently defends,” the statement said.
The organization warned that Gumi’s continued defense of these criminals has emboldened them, expanding their operations across the country.
They also raised concerns about what they described as Gumi’s ethnic-based defense of the militants, noting that he often claims hundreds of fighters have surrendered under his influence while rejecting calls for accountability as politically motivated attacks.
“His own public statements reveal how close he is to these criminal elements,” the union added.
The group further expressed alarm over the worsening security situation in both southern and northern Nigeria, describing many communities as “war zones” where residents are frequently kidnapped, killed, or displaced. “Every day, Nigerians are seen on social media with guns pointed at their heads, begging for ransom,” the statement noted.
The union dismissed Gumi’s explanation that terrorists are driven by underdevelopment, pointing out that many areas of Nigeria lack basic amenities, yet no other ethnic group has turned kidnapping, mass murder, and land occupation into a structured criminal enterprise.
They also criticized President Bola Tinubu’s administration for failing to address the escalating violence, noting that government inaction has emboldened armed groups and that no major militia commanders have been apprehended despite years of attacks.
In a rare international appeal, the Yoruba organization called on the United States to intervene if the Nigerian government continues to avoid confronting the militants.
They urged Washington to pressure President Tinubu to direct the arrest of Gumi for allegedly shielding bandits, being aware of their hideouts, and having knowledge of their arms supply channels.
“Enough is enough,” the union concluded. “Those aiding and defending terrorists must face justice, no matter their status, title, or connections.”
