Nigerian Army issues stern warning to Sheikh Gumi over comments on non-Muslim soldiers
- Sheikh Ahmed Gumi is still facing heavy backlash over his comments concerning Nigerian soldiers
- The comments of the Islamic scholar had sparked outrage across the nation
- The Nigerian Army has now reacted to the comments and warning the cleric to mind his choice of words
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The Nigerian Army has issued a stern warning to an Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmed Gumi, against making comments to disparage its name.
A statement from the Army on Monday, March 8 seen by Legit.ng, cautioned the controversial cleric against maligning its image.
The statement signed by Army spokesman, Brigadier-General Mohammed Yerima, noted that deployment of soldiers for national assignments is not made due to religious considerations.
The Army's statement was in reaction to a viral video showing Gumi blaming non-Muslim soldiers for the attacks on bandits.
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In the video clip, the Islamic scholar was seen telling the bandits that the soldiers involved in most attacks against them were non-Muslims.
Source: Twitter
Part of the army statement read:
“Sheikh Ahmed Gumi and other opinion merchants are please enjoined to exercise restraint not to drag the image and reputation of one of the most reliable national institutions to disrepute.
“Comments suggesting to mudslide the image and reputation of the Nigerian Army are not only inimical but tended towards creating bad blood amongst Nigerians.
“It is, therefore, disturbing that an opinion leader would deliberately want to disparage the Nigeria Army to portray it in a bad light.
“The Nigerian Army wishes to seize this opportunity to advise opinion leaders to be more courteous while expressing their views, taking into cognisance the imperative for national security, particularly at these difficult times.”
Meanwhile, the governor of Katsina state, Aminu Bello Masari, has expressed his concerns over the recent comments of Sheikh Gumi demanding amnesty for bandits.
Governor Masari criticised the renowned Islamic scholar for demanding amnesty for armed gangs responsible for the death of many innocent Nigerians and the destruction of properties across the nation.
The governor said Gumi ought to be preaching about the implications of killing people to the outlaws and not amnesty, adding that a criminal is a criminal and nothing can justify the killing of innocent citizens.
Recall that Gumi recently urged the federal government to extend what he called blanket amnesty to the bandits.
According to the Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, the bandits involved in kidnappings are Nigerians and not foreigners.
Jerrywright Ukwu is an Abuja-based senior political/defence correspondent at Legit.ng. He is a graduate of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos and the International Institute of Journalism in Abuja. He is also a member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists. He spends his leisure-time reading history books. He can be reached via email at jerrywright39@yahoo.com.
Source: Legit.ng
