Gumi alleges plot to label him Boko Haram member, faults foreign military role

 

Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has alleged that he was once marked for elimination after being falsely identified as a member of the Boko Haram terrorist group.

Gumi made the claim in a video message shared on his official Facebook page, where he criticised foreign military involvement in Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts, warning that such interventions often worsen insecurity rather than resolve it.

According to the cleric, he received a distressing call on the morning of a bombing incident, informing him that his name had appeared on a security list of individuals allegedly linked to Boko Haram and marked for elimination.

“There was a bombing here. That same morning, I received a call — I won’t disclose the caller — informing me that a security briefing was ongoing and that I had been listed as a Boko Haram member to be eliminated,” Gumi said.

He accused foreign forces operating in Nigeria of hypocrisy, insisting that their actions contradict their stated mission of fighting terrorism.

“They claim they have come to fight terrorists, but in reality, they are the ones behaving like terrorists,” he added.

Gumi also expressed concern over what he described as the silence of northern political and religious leaders in the face of persistent attacks by Boko Haram and Islamic State-linked groups.

“Where are the leaders, and what have they done about the killings?” he asked, lamenting what he called widespread fear and inaction.

The cleric further criticised Islamic scholars for failing to challenge false religious narratives promoted by extremist groups, which he said had contributed to prolonged violence.

He also faulted foreign assistance in Nigeria’s anti-terrorism war, arguing that support must be inclusive and not targeted at one religious group.

“They attack us with false accusations, and then financial support is directed to Christians alone. No country would accept that. Either the support is for the whole nation, or we don’t need it,” Gumi said.

Gumi’s comments come against the backdrop of recent United States airstrikes on December 25, 2025, targeting Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters in parts of Sokoto State.

The operation followed earlier remarks by US President Donald Trump, who warned that the United States would take decisive military action in Nigeria to eliminate terrorists attacking Christians.