Bandits Are Kidnapping Because They Need Money — Sheikh Gumi

By Micheal Chukwuebuka

Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has stated in an interview with AIT TV that armed groups involved in kidnapping are operating under pressure from government security operations and, as a result, rely on ransom payments to sustain their activities.

According to him, “The terrorists are under pressure to fight the government and need all the money they’re getting from kidnapping. It’s not like they are living luxurious lives, they live in hut.”

He further said, “The government is putting too much pressure on them so they need money to finance their war machines.”

Explaining why they can’t leave the act, he added, “If they leave banditry they won’t have source of financing their war machine,” explaining that ongoing pressure from security forces is what drives the activities of such groups.