March 21, (THEWILL)- Renowned Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has rubbished the claim that some individuals of interest are sponsoring terrorism in Nigeria.
According to him, “These terrorists (bandits) don’t need any financial support from outside since they collect billions from kidnapping.”
This comes on the heels of the release of 15 entities including nine individuals and six Bureau De Change operators and firms, allegedly involved in terrorism financing by the federal government of Nigeria.
Reacting, Sheikh Gumi, who was featured on Daily Trust X Space on Wednesday, said it is only the Court of law that has the right to declare anyone ‘terrorism’ financier.
“I think it’s high time the government took the bull by the horns and came together to see how to redirect these people (bandits).
“Now they are looking for N1 billion for these children (kidnap victims) to be released. They financed themselves by kidnapping. I think it’s rubbish to just frame your political opponents as financing terrorism.
“No Nigerian will put his money into terrorism, we’re beyond that. These people are financing themselves by taking our children for ransom. So, how can we say some people are financing terrorism because there is a misunderstanding between them”, he stated.
THEWILL earlier reported that a document, allegedly linked to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), had designated a Kaduna-based publisher, Tukur Mamu, as one of the purported financiers of terrorism in Nigeria.
On Tukur Mamu, in the event of being proven guilty, appropriate sanctions must be imposed on Mamu – Sheikh Ahmed Gumi said, “Mamu’s case is in the court. Let’s wait to hear from the court. It’s wrong to resort to media trial. Let’s wait for the court to state if he is a financier or not. I think if he is acquitted, he has a strong case to make on libel.
“Who declares someone a terrorist financier? Is it the court of law or a security agency? The security agency has no right to declare anyone a terrorist financier. The case is already in court, so why are they judging him on the pages of the newspaper? Once a case is in court, you allow the court to decide.”
When requested to vindicate himself due to some individuals already implicating him in the scandal, the Sheikh responded, “I am a public figure; many people come to me. The good, the bad, the ugly. As a preacher, I cannot send anybody away, no matter how bad. If you ask, especially pastors, armed robbers come to them and confess, but they cannot still take them to the authorities. What I know of Mamu and his arrest is a misunderstanding between him and the committee that was supposed to deal with the release of some victims. But since the case is in court, we hope the court will be just for him. That is what we wanted all along; take him to court.
“Instead of incarcerating someone and levelling phantom allegations against him. Bring your proof, And if Mamu is found guilty, he should have full-fledged punishment. But as far as I know, let’s wait for the court.”
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