TheCable

Ahmad Gumi, prominent Islamic cleric, has denied having anything to do with the N800,000 purportedly paid to secure the release of some abducted students in Kaduna state.

In March, bandits attacked the College of Forestry Mechanisation in Afaka, Igabi LGA, and abducted 39 students.

However, ten of them have regained their freedom, with 29 others still in captivity.

On Wednesday, after their parents staged a protest at the National Assembly complex to demand their release, reports emerged of a cash transaction made to secure their freedom.

Speaking with Roots TV, one of the parents alleged that Gumi directed them to a Fulani man named Ahmed, who collected N800,000 from them.

“We kept going for meetings. They took us to Gumi’s house who said we should meet one Ahmed. I’ve forgotten the name,” she had said.

“A Fulani man was invited, we contributed almost N800,000 to him but he said the money was just for transportation. Then I started crying and pleaded with him that I am a widow, training my boy to become my helper in the future but he said that was not his concern.”

But Gumi told TheCable that the allegation is “nonsense” when contacted on Wednesday.

The cleric, who is known to have access to some of the bandits, said he is not aware of such transaction.

“Absolute nonsense. I don’t know anything about any money transaction,” he responded via a text message.

Gumi had in February asked the federal government to grant blanket amnesty to the bandits.

On Tuesday, he urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to pay the N100 million demanded by the abductors of Greenfield University students, Kaduna state.