A Kaduna-based cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, on Wednesday said the Nigerian government should ask terrorists what they want, warning that military attacks on terrorists cannot resolve terrorism.

The cleric, in a Facebook post, said military onslaught against terrorists will trigger them to unleash more violence on vulnerable civilians in retaliation.

“When terrorists are targeted, they often retaliate by attacking the most vulnerable populations—the very people the government is meant to protect. Conversely, when the government intensifies its military response, civilians frequently suffer as collateral damage. Thus, the same group ends up bearing the consequences from both sides,” Mr Gumi said.

He added, “A common question is: What do these terrorists actually want?”

Mr Gumi, an advocate of dialogue with terrorists, said asking terrorists “what they want” lies at the heart of the issue—and misunderstanding it is one of the gravest mistakes people make. Without understanding the root causes of terrorism, any attempt to combat it risks being misguided. One must first comprehend the origins and motivations before designing an effective response. What violence creates, violence alone cannot resolve.”

Mr Gumi made this call, citing dialogue between the U.S. and Iran as a premise for his advocacy for dialogue with terrorists.

Meanwhile, Boko Haram has pledged allegiance to Islamic State, while violently pushing to impose Islamic rule and enforce Sharia law across Northern Nigeria and other parts of the country since 2009.

In recent years, Mr Gumi has advocated for amnesty for terrorists, comparing them to Niger Delta militants who were granted amnesty by the late former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s government.

The Kaduna-based cleric condemned U.S. military bombing of terrorists in Sokoto on Christmas Day, describing it as a war against Islam in December.

“Dropping a few bombs here and there cannot tackle the menace of terror. The attacks are symbolic of a harbinger neo-Crusade war against Islam,” Mr Gumi said.

He added, “Attack on Sokoto, where 90% are Muslim with no imminent danger of terror, while the real threat is in Maiduguri and on a Christmas Eve, with the claim of protecting against Christian genocide, says a lot.”