* Ahmad Abubakar Gumi
The Pathfinder
Thursday February 26, 2026
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Islamic scholar Ahmad Abubakar Gumi has expressed support for the establishment of the Nigerian Forest Security Service (NFSS), describing it as a vital tool for flushing out bandits from the country’s vast forest reserves.
Speaking during his Ramadan Tafsir in Kaduna on Tuesday, Gumi emphasized that while the new outfit should employ decisive military force to neutralize criminal elements, it must strictly avoid the use of aerial bombardments.
He cautioned that airstrikes often lead to “collateral damage,” specifically citing the December 2023 tragedy in Tudun Biri, Kaduna State, where over 100 villagers were mistakenly killed by a Nigerian Air Force drone.
The cleric noted that bandits have become increasingly brutal, a shift he attributed to external influences seeking to destabilize Nigeria.
He warned that these criminal groups are on the verge of evolving into full-fledged terrorist organizations if not met with a sophisticated ground-based response.
Gumi urged the authorities to prioritize “clean” and coordinated ground operations that dislodge criminals while safeguarding the lives of innocent communities residing near forest enclaves.
His endorsement follows recent federal moves to strengthen the NFSS (formerly known as the Nigerian Hunter and Forest Security Service) as a frontline paramilitary force tasked with reclaiming ungoverned forest spaces.
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