Popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi's recent visit to Oyo State, has caused uneasiness among natives who now alleged that his presence in the state is part of the North's Islamization agenda, and would lead to terrorists infiltrating Oyo State.
This allegation was disclosed by the Alliance for Oke-Ogun Development (AOD), a socio-political group in the Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State.
The National Coordinator of AOD, Otunba Abiodun Fasasi, in a statement made available to journalists on Thursday, alleged that the visit of Gumi is an unwelcome development, and could be meant to turn Oke-Ogun area into a hotbed of violence.
The body made reference to a recent video showing the Islamic scholar with Prof. Usman Yusuff, a professor of Hematology-oncology during his visit to Igboho, with a claim that the visit was for the continued unity of Nigeria.
It said, "It is rather mindboggling to hear that Sheikh Gumi and his co-travellers were in Igboho, Oke-Ogun. Sheikh Gumi is known all over the world as the harbinger, mastermind, mouthpiece, solicitor and patron of banditry in Nigeria. To him, there's nothing wrong with banditry; as a matter of fact, he sees it as a flourishing business.
"It is more disturbing that an indigene of Oke-Ogun can willingly be a host to a personality like Gumi. We want the DSS (Department of State Services) to investigate the real reason for his visit and the host equally has to be investigated, this is a person consumed by his passion for banditry to the extent of drawing an analogy between banditry and Niger Delta militancy.
"As if that's not enough, he is the one saddled with the responsibility of championing the course of amnesty for the bandits. He recently accused the Nigerian President of political gullibility for tackling the bandits, trivialising the military action ongoing in Zamfara known as festival of fire by tagging it an unwise decision that no reasonable solution can come out of.
"Against the backdrop of the above, convincingly we now know better who Sheikh Gumi is, having seen the handwriting on the wall as the military action is neutralising, eliminating and destroying the bandits in their scores and as the bandits are fleeing the northern parts of the country, especially Zamfara and its environs. It's unacceptable for Gumi and his bandits to see Oke-Ogun, Oyo State as their haven.
"This will never be condoned, without mincing words, we can say Gumi has come as an advance party for the relocation of the bandits, hence, the apex sociopolitical group in Oke-Ogun, Alliance For Okeogun Development, AOD, uses this medium to charge the Federal government, the Oyo State Chief Security Officer, Governor Seyi Makinde, to look into this case and nip in the bud any untoward actions that Sheikh Gumi's visit may cause our peaceful region.
"We also call on our traditional rulers and the entire people of the state to be at alert against individuals that are strangers and might portend danger to our well-being."