Controversial Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has expressed his readiness to engage with the terrorists responsible for kidnapping 287 school children from Kuriga Government Secondary and LEA Primary Schools in Chikun local government area of Kaduna State.

In a press statement from his media team, Gumi stated that he is willing to facilitate negotiations between the federal government and the bandits to secure the release of all abducted Nigerian citizens.

Gumi proposed that the government should adopt a similar approach used to recover passengers kidnapped from the Abuja-Kaduna train on March 28, 2022.

He encouraged the administration of President Bola Tinubu to avoid repeating the error of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who refused to negotiate with bandits.

In his statement, Gumi said, “The government’s stand of no negotiation with the bandits is an unfortunate position.

“My advice is that the government should dialogue with the bandits, not only for these Kuriga school children abductions but all the cases.”

He further added, “I am ready to lead a holistic dialogue between the government and bandits. It is a religious duty for me to do so for peace.

“I hope the present government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will listen by dialoguing with the bandits because the past administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari refused to do so.”

The school children were abducted last Thursday, and the government has yet to secure their release