Controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has hinted that he and other clergymen can no longer negotiate with bandits.

Gumi faulted the decision of the Nigerian government to declare bandits as terrorists.

The Islamic scholar known for visiting bandits in their hideouts in the past, spoke in a viral video.

He said: “We don’t want to push them into terror beyond what they are doing now because it can get worse.

“They have shown us their willingness to negotiate, so people that are ready to negotiate, why are you rushing to declare them bandits so that you can use whatever weapons you bought.

“Before they used to catch Boko Haram and present them to the authorities in Zamfara, but now they are all terrorists.

“Secondly, the only door that is remaining is for us clergy to go in and negotiate with them, that is closed permanently.”