Controversial Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi says he and other clerics can no longer negotiate with “bandits.” In a viral video, Gumi criticises Nigeria’s federal government for declaring bandits as terrorists. He argues that such a move removes a channel for dialogue and risks worsening violence. Gumi says he does not want bandits “pushed into terror beyond what they are doing,” suggesting that expanding the label could intensify the conflict. He also claims bandits previously showed a willingness to negotiate, and questions why negotiations are being cut off as the government moves to treat them as terrorists, including by relying on weapons procurement. Gumi references earlier interactions in which bandits, he says, helped capture members of Boko Haram in Zamfara and handed them to authorities, contrasting this with the current classification as “terrorists.” He further states that, in his view, the remaining door for clerics to negotiate has been closed permanently.