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Renowned Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has disclosed that several Boko Haram commanders are willing to surrender to the federal government.

Gumi urged the federal government to use proper engagement to negotiate with the group as he said that he had talked with 80 per cent of the bandits’ leaders and they were willing to surrender. He spoke with ARISE NEWS Channel in Kaduna State.

In his words: “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 are ready. They have grievances, which I think if we come together we can cure this menace in a very short time,” 

“But with Boko Haram – although we have reliable information from some contacts too that many of their commanders want to surrender; So, I think that with serious engagement and government involvement in these issues on a serious note, I think we will overcome. You see, in Nigeria, we are a tribal society. So, every group has elders that they listen to,” 

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“We want the cooperation of federal, state and local governments; the clergy and other well-meaning Nigerians should all come together to sit down and talk,”

 “You don’t negotiate with your friend, you negotiate with your enemy. The first thing you do is to try and break the ice and break the barrier between you and the person you are negotiating with and also build confidence by demonstrating that you are not going to cheat them or deceive them.

“If there is that level of communication, then negotiation comes in the third phase.
“These are people who have been involved in this kind of criminality for a long time, we have to use psychology on them because it is not possible over night to just consent.

“But preaching to them, admonishing them and showing them the way out of their problems helped a lot in getting them to understand and release these children.”

Source: www.NaijaOnPoint.com

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