Shehu Sani Blast Terrorists Sympathizers, Tasks Them To Preach Against Killing In Sambisa

Shehu Sani, the former senator for Kaduna Central, has criticised those opposing the bombardment of terrorist enclaves, suggesting that such advocates should focus their ‘preaching’ on the terrorists instead of the military.

Sani, in a statement on his official X handle on Monday, tasked the Nigerian authorities to assemble the advocates and transport them to terrorist enclaves in Zamfara, Sokoto and Sambisa to preach to terrorists against kidnapping and murdering of innocent citizens.

Sani said, “Those who are opposed to striking those terrorist groups should be assembled and transported to the hinterlands of Zamfara and Sokoto or even Sambisa so that they can preach, talk or negotiate with them so that they will stop murdering and kidnapping our people. When one is opposed to one thing, he should be able to do another.”

Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, during an interview on the BBC, earlier in December, defended his long-held view that negotiating with bandits is necessary, describing such engagement as a practical means to save lives and maintain peace.

“Everybody negotiates with bandits,” he said.

“That word [‘we don’t negotiate’], I don’t know where they got it from. It’s not in the Bible. It’s not in the Quran. In fact, it’s not even in practice. Everybody’s negotiating with outlaws, non-state actors, everybody. So who got it, and where did they get that knowledge from? We negotiate for peace and our strategic interests. If negotiation will bring stoppage to bloodshed, we will do it.”

Gumi stressed that his previous engagements with bandits were conducted openly and with the authorities. “I go there with the authorities. I don’t go there alone. And I go there with the press,” he said.

TVC News previously reported that Shehu Sani, the former lawmaker who represented the Kaduna Central Senatorial District, commended the United States precision airstrikes on terrorist enclaves in North West Nigeria, describing it as a “conscionable action.”

Sani, in a statement on his official X handle on Friday, expressed his reservations against over-reliance on foreign power to quench the rising insurgency in Nigeria, charging the Federal Government to take responsibility for internal security.

Shehu Sani Welcomes US Strikes, Warns FG Against ‘Eternal Dependence’