Prominent Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has strongly condemned a proposal by a federal lawmaker advocating for the execution of repentant terrorists and criminals rather than their rehabilitation.
The call for capital punishment was made by Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, the member representing Pankshin/Kanam/Kanke Federal Constituency of Plateau State, during a recent plenary session at the House of Representatives.
Urging the federal government to halt the arrest and rehabilitation of violent criminals, Gagdi argued for a strict eye-for-an-eye approach.
“He who kills should be killed. Anybody who kills should be killed unless it’s a motor accident. Our law is explicit,” Gagdi said. He added that individuals who invade the homes of innocent citizens, kidnap them, and subject them to torture before taking their lives “do not deserve one second of survival.”
Reacting to the lawmaker’s remarks, Sheikh Gumi warned that executing repentant insurgents and prisoners of war violates both religious doctrines and international humanitarian laws.
In a statement shared on his social media page, Gumi cautioned that such actions could invite international legal scrutiny.
“Killing repentant insurgents and secessionists is against religious and international law. So also [is the killing of] prisoners of war. The International Criminal Court (ICC) is listening, even if you do not fear Allah,” Gumi stated.
He further argued that letting emotions dictate counter-insurgency strategies plays into the hands of the terrorists.
“Where is the morality? It’s the same logic terrorists employ to kill all others besides them. Emotions do not win a war,” Gumi added.
The clash of opinions highlights the ongoing national debate surrounding Nigeria’s controversial de-radicalisation, rehabilitation, and reintegration (DRR) programme for repentant insurgents. While the federal government has defended the initiative as a tool to weaken insurgency, it continues to face stiff resistance from lawmakers, security analysts, and victims of terror incidents across the country.
