Four times Reno Omokri publicly tackled Sheikh Gumi

Reno Omokri, a leading member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a huge critic of Kaduna-based Muslim cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi.

The social-political activists had on different occasions accused and smeared the reputation of the cleric during the era of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The bad blood between both men stems from the public relationship Gumi has with armed bandits who have on different occasions during the last administration abducted innocent Nigerians, especially children.

It is, however, surprising that Omokri, who has been a fierce critic of the cleric is backing his call for the Tinubu-led administration to negotiate with the bandits who recently kidnapped more than 287 students at a school in Kaduna.

Gumi has early on in a statement revealed his intention to open a channel of communication with the bandits who took schoolchildren from Kuriga Government Secondary and LEA Primary Schools in the Chikun Local Government Area of the state.

The prominent scholar warned President Tinubu not to repeat the mistake made by former President Muhammadu Buhari, who refused to dialogue with bandits.

Reacting, Omokri, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a post on X (formerly called Twitter), said "Perhaps it is time we listen to Gumi" as far as it "will save human lives".

He added: "... I can live with it. Listen, we have dialogued with belligerent non-state actors within Nigeria in the past. I do not want to name specific groups in order not to offend. And those dialogues brought peace to the South. We can do the same in other parts of the country. If dialogue and amnesty can solve our security challenges better than force and bullets, as happened in Northern Ireland, then we should not be ashamed to go for it and save lives. What do you think?"

While the government of Kaduna has refused to negotiate with the criminals, MyNigeria.com takes a look at some of the moments Reno Omokri has called out Sheikh Gumi.

1. Sheikh Gumi not promoting peace; calls DSS to arrest him

In February 2021, Reno Omokri said Gumi is facilitating banditry and not promoting peace as many believe.

He also accused the cleric of sowing the seed of discord within the country and inciting Muslims against Christians by telling bandits that Muslim soldiers were the ones neutralizing them.

At the time, he urged the Department of State Services to summon the cleric and question him for incitement.

“Sheikh Gumi should be answering questions with the DSS,” he said, adding, “Sheikh Gumi should be summoned by the DSS to back up his claim that Christian soldiers are the ones killing Muslims.

2. Sheikh Gumi is an inspiration to the bandits

The Socio-political activist accused Gumi of being the Public Relations for bandits.

He made this known in a tweet while stressing that Gumi was an inspiration to terrorists.

The former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan wondered why the Federal Government was prosecuting secessionists like Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho while Gumi is a free man.

“Sheikh Gumi never speaks for the victims. But when terrorist bandits are affected, he speaks.

“How long shall a government that is after Igboho and Kanu continue tolerating the PR work Gumi is doing for terrorists bandits?

“Gumi is an inspiration to these terrorists,” Omokri tweeted.

3. Sheikh Gumi will set Nigeria on Fire

In a June 2021 interview on Arise TV, Reno Omokri, Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria from 2011-2015 said the cleric would set Nigeria on fire.

Omokri commented after Gumi's statement on the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Gumi had said herdsmen and bandits only abduct students for money while IPOB killed security operatives in the Southeast.

Gumi during an interview with Arise TV said: “IPOB is attacking the police, the army, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other government institutions; killing our men in service.

4. Gumi always coming to the defense of bandits

Reno Omokri slammed the Gumi for always coming to the defense of bandits who wreaked havoc across the country.

Ripples Nigeria had reported that Gumi warned against the declaration of bandits as terrorists, saying such action from the government will come with a prize.

“The moment they are termed Terrorist – Islamic for that matter, the direct foreign Jihadist movements will set in in force. This is the most probable consequence, the price of which is not worth it,” Gumi noted.

However, Omokri, in a Twitter post on Monday slammed the federal government for going after bandits, while turning a blind eye to ‘an inspiration to terrorists’.