Punch Newspapers Sections Chukwudi Akasike THE Pan Niger Delta Forum has called on the Federal Government to declare the statements credited to an Islamic scholar, Sheik Abubakar Gumi, as “hate speech”. PANDEF Board of Trustees made this call on Wednesday in a communique signed by its members; Chief Edwin Clark, former Akwa Ibom State governor, Obong Victor Attah, and Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien. The forum expressed dissatisfaction that Gumi was inciting terrorists and bandits against Christian soldiers and equating them (terrorist and bandits) with Niger Delta agitators. Gumi had while addressing some bandits in Tegina forest, said, “Soldiers that are involved in most of the criminalities are not Muslims…soldiers have Muslims and non-Muslims. The non-Muslims are the ones causing confusion just to ignite crisis.”