An Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has stated why herdsmen cannot leave banditry.

Speaking during an interview on AIT, Gumi the herdsmen would not have a source of financing their war machine if they leave banditry.

He was speaking on ‘Ending Insecurity; Amnesty and Negotiation with Bandits’.

According to him, the herdsmen have gone through a lot of hardship with no government sitting down to look into their plights and modernize them.

He also decried that no government has spent anything on them, stating that “Not one kobo of our Nigerian budget goes to them”.

Gumi further stated that the bandits are not living any luxurious life, stressing that they sometimes drink from the stream.

The Islamic cleric said, “If they leave banditry, they won’t have a source of financing for their war machine.

“We are under pressure to fight the government. The government that has helicopters is bombarding us. So remove the pressure, the need for the money is there.”