Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, says he is prepared to lead calls for the release and possible pardon of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu — but only if Kanu shows remorse and publicly commits to peace.
Speaking on Tuesday during Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Gumi defended his long-standing advocacy for a non-kinetic, dialogue-driven approach to resolving Nigeria’s security challenges. He said national reconciliation would be incomplete without engaging agitators who are willing to renounce violence.
Gumi referenced past administrations that opted for amnesty to restore stability, noting that former President Shehu Shagari granted amnesty to Biafra leader Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, while the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua extended amnesty to Niger Delta militants despite their involvement in acts deemed terrorist by the state.
According to him, the same principle should apply to Kanu if he abandons inflammatory rhetoric and embraces a peaceful path. “If this same Kanu will show remorse and call for peace, honestly, I will be at the forefront in calling for his pardon and amnesty,” he said.
Kanu is currently being held on terrorism-related charges after being convicted on seven counts at the Federal High Court in Abuja. His trial and detention have remained major flashpoints in the South-East, where IPOB supporters continue to demand his unconditional release.
Gumi argued that Nigeria cannot achieve lasting peace while relying solely on force, insisting that meaningful dialogue with influential figures—including separatist leaders—remains critical to national security.
The cleric, who has repeatedly urged government to engage bandits and insurgents in the North, said his position on Kanu is consistent with his belief that reconciliation, not confrontation, would better secure the country’s future.