Kaduna-based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has strongly dissociated himself from media reports linking him to banditry and terrorism financing.

He declared that any insinuations connecting his previous mediation efforts to the criminal enterprise are completely malicious and false.

Gumi clarified that his past interactions with herdsmen and armed groups in the forests were done out of a desire for national peace, purely to understand their grievances and facilitate a peaceful resolution with the government.

He emphasized that he has never sponsored, encouraged, or benefited from criminal activities, noting that his approach has always been open, transparent, and focused on educational and religious reformation.

The cleric warned media houses and commentators against spreading defamatory narratives that damage his reputation and misrepresent his intentions. Gumi maintained that he remains a peace-loving citizen and religious leader dedicated to the stability of Nigeria, urging security agencies to focus on the real perpetrators of insecurity rather than targeting individuals seeking solutions.