Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has said Nigeria cannot overcome its security challenges through military force alone, insisting that education and poverty alleviation remain the most effective long-term solutions to insecurity.

In a Facebook post, Gumi referenced China’s poverty reduction programme, noting that the country lifted hundreds of millions of people out of extreme poverty by making poverty eradication a national priority. He argued that tackling poverty and expanding access to education would significantly reduce the conditions that fuel violent crime and insurgency.

“The best way to fight insecurity is through education and poverty alleviation,” Gumi stated.

The Kaduna-based cleric has consistently advocated dialogue, rehabilitation, and addressing the root causes of violence, maintaining that military operations alone cannot permanently defeat banditry and other forms of armed insurgency.

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