Following reported airstrikes against ISIS terrorist elements in Nigeria, renowned Nigeria Islamic scholar, Dr. Ahmad Abubakar Mahmud Gumi, has warned the Federal Government to immediately suspend military cooperation with the United States.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page, the cleric strongly fault the involvement of the United States in military operations on Nigerian soil, describing it as dangerous to the country’s sovereignty and internal cohesion.
While acknowledging that fighting terrorism was an obligation in Islam, Gumi said such actions must be carried out by what he described as “clean and holy hands,” not by foreign powers he accused of having a history stained with the blood of innocent civilians.
“Annihilating terrorists is an Islamic obligation,” he said, citing a prophetic tradition. “But it should only be carried out by clean, holy hands, not by another terrorist whose hands are stained with the blood of hundreds of thousands of innocent children, women and men.”
According to Gumi, Nigeria made a grave mistake by allowing foreign military involvement, arguing that “terrorists do not fight terrorists in truth,” but rather end up killing innocent people while pursuing hidden agendas.
He warned that no nation should permit its territory to become a theatre of war or allow foreign powers to turn its neighbours into enemies, adding that U.S’. involvement would attract anti-American forces to Nigeria.
“The U.S. involvement in Nigeria will attract real anti-U.S. forces, making our land a theatre of war,” he said. “Coming under the pretext of ‘protecting Christians’ will polarise our nation and infringe on our sovereignty.”
Gumi suggested that if Nigeria required external military assistance, it should turn to what he described as neutral countries such as China, Turkey and Pakistan, which, he said, could provide effective support without geopolitical baggage.
He also alleged that the reported bombing in Sokoto State was symbolic and politically- motivated, questioning why an area he claimed “is predominantly Muslim” and not an epicentre of terrorism was targeted, while areas such as Maiduguri remained major flashpoints.
“The attack on Sokoto, where over 90 per cent are Muslims, on Christmas Eve, with claims of protecting against Christian genocide, says a lot,” he said. “We believe the terror is manufactured and sustained by the same people claiming to fight it.”
Gumi also argued that aerial bombardments alone could not resolve Nigeria’s security challenges, insisting that only sustained ground operations could defeat terrorism.
“Dropping a few bombs here and there cannot tackle the menace of terror. It requires serious military operations on the ground, and if we are serious, we have enough men to do that,” he stated.
He called on communities affected by the strikes to document and share evidence of any casualties, while warning that the situation could become a major political issue ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Describing the strikes as a sign of what he termed a “neo-Crusade against Islam,” Gumi concluded by urging Nigerians to remain vigilant, saying, “A word is enough for the wise”
The Radarr – News
