Gumi Drops Bombshell On Obasanjo’s Secret Meeting With Boko Haram Leaders

Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has claimed that former President Olusegun Obasanjo once met with Boko Haram leaders in Maiduguri, Borno State, as part of an effort to encourage the insurgents to abandon violence and surrender their weapons.

According to Gumi, the meeting took place during the early stages of the Boko Haram insurgency and resulted in an understanding that the group’s representatives would lay down their arms. However, he alleged that the initiative eventually stalled because the government was reluctant to act on the outcome of the discussions.

Gumi made the revelation while speaking about Nigeria’s prolonged security challenges and renewing his call for dialogue as part of the country’s efforts to address terrorism, banditry and other forms of insecurity.

The cleric claimed that Obasanjo personally told him about the encounter, saying the former president travelled to Maiduguri and met with individuals identified as leaders of Boko Haram.

Gumi alleged that Obasanjo returned from the meeting expecting the government to take further steps, but that the lack of action left the former president disappointed and bitter about the development.

He argued that dialogue with armed groups should not automatically be ruled out, noting that negotiations have been used in different conflicts around the world as part of efforts to achieve peace.

Gumi questioned why the Nigerian government should consider negotiations with insurgents unacceptable, particularly when dialogue has been explored in other international conflicts involving armed organisations.

The cleric further urged the Federal Government to develop a security strategy tailored to Nigeria’s specific circumstances rather than allowing international expectations to dictate how the country handles its internal security challenges.

He maintained that the government should remain open to negotiation while also pursuing rehabilitation and reintegration programmes for those who voluntarily abandon violence.

Gumi went further to propose a six-month amnesty window for terrorists and bandits willing to surrender their weapons and renounce violence.

He said such an initiative could be followed by rehabilitation programmes, including education and economic opportunities aimed at preventing former combatants and their families from returning to violence.

His latest comments have renewed debate over whether dialogue and amnesty should form part of Nigeria’s broader strategy for tackling terrorism and banditry, with supporters and critics holding sharply different views on the effectiveness and risks of negotiating with armed groups.

Gumi’s account of the alleged Obasanjo-Boko Haram meeting and the reported agreement has not been independently established in the reports reviewed. The claim should therefore be regarded as an account attributed to the cleric, rather than an independently verified fact.