Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has questioned who would engage with Boko Haram insurgents and bandits through dialogue, drawing parallels with past efforts of former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to address militancy in the Niger Delta.

In a post shared on his Facebook page on Saturday, Gumi said Jonathan had visited militants in the Niger Delta creeks, while Osinbajo also engaged with them as part of efforts that eventually led to programmes aimed at restoring peace in the region.

He argued that similar engagement with Boko Haram and bandits would likely attract criticism from some Nigerians.

“The former President Jonathan visited delta militants in the creeks, so also the former vice president Osinbajo. They all came up with a program to tame the militants. Who is going to visit BH and Bandits to tame them without fools castigating them?” Gumi wrote.

The cleric’s remarks come amid ongoing debate over the best approach to tackling insecurity, particularly the persistent activities of Boko Haram insurgents and armed bandit groups in parts of northern Nigeria.