Arrest Gumi within seven days, HURIWA tells Tinubu government

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has issued a seven-working-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to arrest and prosecute terrorists allegedly known to authorities, following controversial claims by Islamic cleric Ahmad Gumi that the government possesses the identities and locations of terrorists operating in the country.

The rights advocacy group warned that if the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu fails to act within the stipulated time, it will escalate the issue internationally by filing formal petitions to Donald Trump, the United States Congress, and the International Criminal Court for a probe into what it described as the Nigerian government’s “apparent tolerance or protection of terrorists responsible for mass killings across the country.”

In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, HURIWA said recent remarks by Gumi had raised serious national security concerns that must be urgently addressed by the authorities.

The group recalled that during an interview on DRTV, the Kaduna-based cleric claimed that the Nigerian government knows every terrorist operating in the country by name and location.

According to Gumi, his visits to bandit camps in the past were not secret engagements but were conducted with the knowledge and presence of security agencies, including the police and military.

“The government knows every terrorist by name and location,” Gumi reportedly said, adding that when he meets with armed groups he does so accompanied by security operatives.

Reacting to the development, HURIWA described the claim as alarming and said, if true, it would represent a serious failure in the nation’s counter-terrorism efforts.

“HURIWA finds the statement credited to Sheikh Ahmad Gumi extremely disturbing. If indeed the Federal Government knows every terrorist by name and location as claimed, then Nigerians deserve to know why these criminals continue to roam freely, kidnapping schoolchildren, murdering farmers and attacking communities,” the group said.

The civil rights organisation insisted that if authorities possess actionable intelligence identifying terrorists and their hideouts, there is no justification for the continued wave of violent attacks across several states.

“We are therefore giving the Federal Government of Nigeria seven working days to arrest the terrorists whose identities and locations are allegedly known to the authorities and to immediately commence their prosecution in accordance with Nigerian law,” the group stated.

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HURIWA also questioned why Gumi himself has not been thoroughly investigated despite openly admitting to interacting with armed groups.

“If Sheikh Gumi truly has extensive knowledge of the identities and locations of terrorists, why have security agencies not invited him for comprehensive questioning? His freedom without scrutiny lends credibility to his assertion that the government is already aware of these terrorists and yet has failed to act,” the organisation said.

The group warned that failure to act within the deadline would prompt it to seek international intervention.

According to HURIWA, it will petition the United States Congress, the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump, and the International Criminal Court to demand a global inquiry into Nigeria’s handling of terrorism.

The organisation argued that persistent killings, kidnappings and attacks on civilians could qualify as crimes against humanity if authorities knowingly fail to prevent them.

HURIWA cited several legal provisions and precedents to support its position, including Section 10 of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, which criminalises knowingly assisting, facilitating, or failing to disclose information related to terrorist activities.

The group also referenced the Criminal Code Act, which recognises the offence of being an accessory after the fact when a person knowingly helps offenders evade justice.

In addition, HURIWA cited the legal precedent established in R v. Sykes, which holds that individuals who knowingly assist offenders or shield them from prosecution can be held criminally liable.

The organisation also pointed to the FRN v. Osahon decision of the Nigerian Supreme Court, which emphasised the responsibility of citizens and law enforcement institutions to cooperate in bringing offenders to justice.

HURIWA stressed that its ultimatum is aimed at compelling transparency and decisive action at a time when many Nigerians continue to live under the threat of terrorist attacks.

“The law is clear that silence or inaction in the face of known criminal activity can amount to aiding and abetting crime,” the group said.

“HURIWA will not stand idly by while Nigerians are slaughtered daily. If the government knows these terrorists and their locations, the time for excuses has expired. The time for arrests and prosecution is now.”

The statement was signed by the National Coordinator of HURIWA, Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.