One Of The Bandits Was Telling Us The Bloodshed Is Too Much, They, Too, Are Not Happy- Gumi

According to a report by Nigerian Tribune on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has revealed that some bandits he interacted with claimed they could not abandon their criminal activities because they feared being killed if they surrendered their weapons.

Gumi said the armed men described their continued attacks as part of a revenge cycle, alleging that military operations and killings in their communities had contributed to their decision to sustain the violence.

According to the cleric, some of the bandits acknowledged that the killings had gone too far but insisted that they had no choice but to continue fighting in retaliation for attacks against their communities.

He explained that the armed groups were unhappy with the level of bloodshed but believed they would be targeted if they stopped carrying weapons and abandoned their activities.

“One of the bandits was telling us the bloodshed is too much,” Gumi said.

He further quoted the armed men as saying, “They, too, are not happy. And they say they are forced to do it.”

The cleric made the revelations during an interview on PAPShow, which was published on October 29, with excerpts from the discussion gaining widespread attention on social media on Tuesday.

While explaining the grievances of the armed groups, Gumi said some bandits accused security operatives and local vigilante groups of carrying out attacks that allegedly resulted in the deaths of women and children.

He noted that the armed men claimed such incidents had increased their resentment and strengthened their determination to retaliate against those they considered responsible.

According to Gumi, the bandits linked their grievances to security operations that were initially launched to tackle cattle rustling and other criminal activities in their communities.

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