Controversial Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has urged Nigerians to learn how to live peacefully with Fulani herdsmen, insisting that they are an integral part of the country.
Gumi made the call in a video shared on X, where he stated that Fulani herdsmen are Nigerians and cannot be driven out of the country.
According to the cleric, herdsmen are neighbors and should not be treated as enemies, stressing that no group has the right to expel another from Nigeria.
He warned that turning herdsmen into enemies could have grave consequences for the nation, noting that such actions could be exploited by real adversaries.
Gumi, a retired army officer, explained that neighbors often know one another’s strengths and weaknesses, making hostility dangerous.
“They are going nowhere. They are part of us, and we are part of them. We must learn to live together and should never become enemies,” he said.
He added, “Your real enemy will use your neighbor against you. Nobody knows your secrets more than your neighbor—when you go out and when you return. We should never allow herdsmen to become our enemies.”
His comments come amid growing calls for his arrest by the Nigerian government over his utterances.
Recall that United States recently launched airstrikes on terrorists in Northwest Nigeria.
