Obasanjo Reveals Details of Confidential Discussion With Sheikh Gumi on Bandits’ Forest Hideouts

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has provided new insight into the security challenges within Nigeria’s forests, revealing what Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi told him after visiting major bandit hideouts across the country.

Speaking during an interview, Obasanjo recounted that he invited Sheikh Gumi for a private meeting shortly after the cleric gained national attention for his outreach to armed groups in remote forest regions. According to Obasanjo, Gumi’s firsthand observations raised serious concerns about the depth of the crisis and contradicted some official reports on security operations.

Obasanjo said Gumi informed him that the bandits had fortified their hideouts to such an extent that it would be nearly impossible for security forces to penetrate certain enclaves. He added that the cleric made it clear that any claims by security personnel suggesting they had successfully accessed those areas were misleading.

The former President explained that Gumi was visibly shaken as he described the conditions inside the camps. He noted the presence of young boys between the ages of thirteen and fifteen who were heavily drugged and armed with dangerous weapons. According to Obasanjo, Gumi admitted to breaking down in tears after witnessing the state of the child fighters, many of whom appeared deeply entrenched in criminal activities and substance abuse.

“They are wrecked and that worried us,” Obasanjo said. He added that the issue reflects a broader national challenge. He noted that Nigeria currently has an estimated twenty million children out of school, while many others face unemployment and a lack of support systems. This, he warned, leaves millions vulnerable to recruitment by insurgent and criminal networks.

Obasanjo stressed that the situation represents a major threat to national security, as disenfranchised youths continue to populate forest camps and criminal networks. He called for urgent action to address the root causes of insecurity, including poverty, lack of education and widespread drug abuse among vulnerable children.

The former President’s statements have added to ongoing concerns about the growing sophistication of bandit groups and the humanitarian crisis emerging from their recruitment of young people across the country.