By Abiola Olawale
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), on Friday, called on authorities to arrest Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, a renowned Islamic Cleric, for calling journalists criminals, noting he should have been put behind bars a long time ago over his controversial positions that have continued to heat up the Nigerian polity repeatedly.
The cleric had earlier castigated journalists for describing bandits as criminals. He stated that the media should stop profiling bandits as criminals if they want them to surrender.
Gumi said this during an interview session with Arise TV on Wednesday.
According to him, the media should be careful of their choice of words, as the use of language is important in dealing with bandits.
In his words, “You’re emphasising on criminality, even the press are criminals too because they are putting oil into fire. These people are listening to you, you should not address them as criminals if you want them to succumb. Youths are ready to put down their weapons, now you are calling them criminals. How do you want them to cooperate? So you have to show them they are Nigerians, that they should not hurt children, be law-abiding. This is the language we want to hear, the press should assist us in getting the boys. You see when we talk with them with nice words, they are ready to listen to us, put down their weapons but when the language is about criminality, killing them, then this is what we will keep having. Let me show you something, I don’t wish you harm but if you are stopped by armed robbers on the road, you will not use the word criminal on them. Tell them good things so that you will save yourself. We are trying to save the nation from these youths that have a false sense of authority. The language we use is very important. We have a problem now, proliferation of arms, and there are drugs and semi-illiterate population. How do you deal with it? By castigating them and abusing them in the media? You’re talking to yourself, they don’t even listen to you so the best for us is the clergymen, the respected people, elderly try to reach them. Put sense into them, when you go, they lower their heads, they will listen, they will start giving excuses, accept their excuse but show them the way out. We are trying to nurture them out of this criminality. You have the power of media, you should use it to bring people together not try to spread things that divide people.”
But Chris Isiguzo, the National President of NUJ has slammed Gumi for his comments, trying to teach journalists how to do their job. He described the statement of the cleric as totally unacceptable and provocative.
In a statement on Friday, the NUJ President called for the arrest of the Gumi, who has been making case for bandits.
The statement in part reads; “This unnecessary and unprovoked attack on members of the media by a hitherto respected cleric who decided to embark on strange errands, is unacceptable and it is becoming clearer now that he is pursuing a different agenda. We equally recall a recent statement credited to Sheik Gumi where he was inciting bandits, by encouraging religious biases among soldiers on the battlefield. We are more shocked that the same Sheik Gumi who has used the media to speak to leaders and to advance the course of his mission to the bandits across the Northwest, is at the same time attacking the Journalists for simply describing bandits as criminals. Sheik Gumi’s attempts to seek amnesty for killers and abductors of innocent citizens, especially school children is most unfortunate. We invite Sheik Gumi to explain to Nigerians why despite his recent negotiations with bandits in Zamfara State, the criminals have continued maiming, killing, raping and kidnapping innocent citizens, including the 300 female students just abducted in the same State. In saner climes, Sheikh Gumi, a non-state actor involved in negotiations with criminal elements, should have been behind bars, but alas, thanks to the weaknesses of our leaders, he continues with his reckless comments and forays into bandit territory unabated. By insulting the Press as “Criminals” Sheikh Gumi has exposed himself the more as an intolerant person who will not want his activities closely scrutinised by the media. It is instructive to remind Sheik Gumi that by embarking on such an errand and choosing to speak for the bandits, the Press will continue to scrutinise his activities and also hold him accountable for his actions as enshrined in the Constitution. His reaction was totally unacceptable, dishonourable and reprehensible and we demand a retraction of his untoward, irritating and awkward utterances which negate simple decorum and civility. We, therefore, caution him to remember that “riding the tiger might be an exhilarating experience but the consequence is bound to be unpleasant. He should thus be guided. We equally invite the global community to document the utterances and actions of Sheik Gumi and to hold him to account for any bandit related mishap that may happen to Journalists around the country.” The NUJ said.
