Controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has reiterated his call for bandits and herdsmen to be granted amnesty.

Gumi said bandits were ready to lay down their arms, hence the Federal Government should grant them amnesty.

He explained that granting bandits amnesty would stop further bloodshed and hostilities in the North.

The cleric spoke at the enrolment of the third group of students into the free orphans’ healthcare and education support programme organised by the Kawo Islamic Foundation in Kaduna.

He urged the Federal government to educate and provide bandits with funds after granting them amnesty.

According to Gumi: “If there is anything that can stop the shedding of blood, it is better just like what happened with the Niger Delta militants, they were shedding blood and vandalising pipelines, but where they were ready to drop their weapons with an amnesty that will take care of them, I think the same thing can apply to herdsmen.

We have met them and they are ready to put down their arms, but when they put down their arms if you do not educate them and provide them with funds to take care of them, they will go back to the same old ways.

Still, we call for amnesty and stopping all hostilities because we know how we can deal with it peacefully.”