Gumi Tasks Buhari on Security Challenges
An Islamic leader, Sheik Ahmad Gumi has said the failure by the government to fund the education sector in line with the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation UNESCO is the reason for the spate of banditry, kidnapping, and insecurity in the country.
Gumi stated this at a virtual policy dialogue which was organized by the Nigerian Global Affairs Council (NIGAC), a digital media-driven and evidence-based think-tank which focuses on governance and public policy.
NiGAC’s national virtual policy dialogue enables the leaders and masses the opportunity to examine critical issues affecting national development.
Gumi, however, called on the federal government to adopt former President Jonathan Goodluck’s approach to security challenges by educating young Fulanis that settled to engage in criminalities due to poverty and unemployment.
Gumi said security challenges cannot be solved by military prowess since it is a social problem.
He added that it was time for sociologists, criminologists, and psychologists in the country to come together and understand how to resolve the menace.
Gumi, however, attributed insecurity in the country to poor funding of the education sector in breach of the 26% budget allocation that the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) recommended for every country.
According to him, “Nigeria is a target of many different international interest groups. For us who have been in the military, we go to the bush; we do exercises in the bush, you never get attacked and in fact, you do not fear Fulani men.
“So, what has suddenly changed? These are the questions I think sociologists, criminologists, and psychologists should all put their heads together and see a way out. But it is not by force that we can subdue these people. I do not see that.”
Stating further, he said: “to improve funding in the education sector of the country. The standard by the United Nations is that education should have about 15 to 20 percent of the budget.
“In Nigeria, it is about nine to 10%. We are not spending much on education and human capital development at large. We have entirely forgotten the Human Development Index (HDI). That is exactly what we are suffering from.
“This kidnapping and banditry you see are committed by people who are stack illiterate. They are not educated at all. Most of them have never been to schools. They know nothing. They are always on drugs.
“And there are so many in numbers. If you want to cure it you have to solve it as a social problem, not as a military problem, the military cannot solve it,” the Islamic leader explained.
Gumi, therefore, called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to embrace former President Jonathan Goodluck’s approach to security challenges.
He noted that the federal government “should just accept Jonathan’s approach. Jonathan’s principle is the only solution. Let us educate these Fulani people because, without education, we are wasting our time.”
