The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has cautioned opinion leaders against making comments that trivialise the crimes being committed by bandits.

MURIC’s director Ishaq Akintola made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday in Lagos.

Mr Akintola was reacting to recent statements by some opinion leaders. He noted that certain comments could truncate moves to enthrone peace.

On Wednesday, a popular Kaduna-based Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmed Gumi said bandits pillaging many communities mostly across northern states of Nigeria have also suffered injustice, hence the government must not take sides with their victims in addressing insecurity.

Mr Gumi, who has of late been meeting bandits in northern forests for negotiations, has also been calling for amnesty for the armed groups.

While appearing on Wednesday’s Arise TV programme, Mr Gumi maintained that atrocities committed by the bandits are mere fallouts of tribal war.

But Mr Akintola opposes the sentiments advanced by Mr Gumi. He urged Nigerians at all levels to be honest in discussing the issue of banditry in some parts of the country.

“Nothing can reduce the degree of the crimes being committed by bandits, we should not look for excuses for them.

“We should also let the bandits know the gravity of their crimes and the religious status of their sins,” he said.

Mr Akintola explained that banditry was to wage unprovoked war against the people, saying “the scripture even sees it as waging war against God and His messenger.”

“The scripture does not treat banditry with kid gloves, nothing should be taken off the promise of heavy punishment for bandits even after death,” he warned.

He said that banditry had become a hydra-headed monster threatening to swallow-up the social order.

“It must therefore be met with every necessary force to stop it. We call on bandits to surrender to the state wherever they are operating.

“There can be no talks or any form of negotiation with bandits before surrendering,” he said.

According to him, apart from the long arm of the law which will eventually catch up with bandits, the awaiting everlasting heavy punishment should be enough to dissuade them.

The director described the activities of bandits as horrific and condemnable, adding that they should be fiercely confronted and resisted.

Mr Akintola also urged state governors to give priority attention to the fight against insecurity by spending their security vote (funds) judiciously.

“We want to see the security votes spent on equipping state security outfits so that they can adequately and sufficiently meet the current security challenges.

“Governors should avoid abdicating their responsibilities, they should rather tackle them squarely for a better outcome,” he said.

(NAN)