Nigeria’s Defence Minister, retired Lieutenant General Christopher Musa, has warned Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmed Gumi and others against portraying bandits as part of a wider northern brotherhood.
General Musa, in a statement issued on Wednesday in Maiduguri, cautioned Nigerians against supporting terrorists and criminal gangs in any form, saying: “A friend of a thief is a thief.”
The minister said the warning was a direct response to narratives previously promoted by Sheikh Gumi, who has referred to armed bandits operating in northern Nigeria as “our brothers” and argued that society cannot do without them.
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General Musa said while dialogue and compassion may have a place, describing or defending criminal groups risks legitimising violence and undermining efforts to tackle insecurity. He stressed that banditry and terrorism thrive not only through weapons but also through public narratives that excuse or normalise their actions, adding that such positions weaken national security.
Sheikh Gumi has, in the past, criticised the use of military force against armed groups, urging the government to negotiate with bandits.
In one widely circulated remark, he was quoted as saying that attacking them would be a mistake and that they should instead be engaged and supported.
Separately, Sheikh Gumi was barred from entering Saudi Arabia in 2025 and deported despite holding a valid visa.
Saudi authorities did not publicly give reasons for the decision, but the cleric later linked it to concerns over his involvement in discussions around insecurity in Nigeria.
Nigeria has struggled for more than a decade with banditry and jihadist violence, particularly in the north-west and north-east, with thousands killed and millions displaced.
Prosper Okoye is a Correspondent and Research Writer at Prime Business Africa, a Nigerian journalist with experience in development reporting, public affairs, and policy-focused storytelling across Africa
