Popular cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has canvassed the application of psychology in dealing with bandits wreaking havocs in Nigeria.
He insisted on negotiations with them, saying it had always proved productive in dealing with enemies.
Gumi has been meeting with bandits in his intervention in the menace, calling for negotiations and ransom payment as well as pardon for the criminals.
In the process, he has been criticised by many.
But on at a reception organised for students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Kaduna, recently released by bandits, he said,
“My appeal to government is to engage with the bandits so that the bandits can abandon their ways. They are already showing signs that they ready. They have grievances which I think if we come together, we can address, and cure this menace in a very short time.
“We want the cooperation of federal state and local governments, the clergy and other well-meaning Nigerians.
“These are people who for a long time have been involved in this kind of criminality; we have to use psychology on them because it is not possible overnight to have their consent.
“But preaching to them, admonishing them and showing them the way out of their problems helped a lot in getting them understand and release these children.”
