Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has lambasted recent US airstrikes on suspected terrorist sites in Sokoto, warning that they risk dividing the nation along religious lines and eroding sovereignty, while advocating for partnerships with nations like China instead.
Gumi’s remarks came in a social media post on Friday, following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of “numerous deadly strikes” against Islamic State militants in the region, which Nigerian officials described as part of joint intelligence efforts.
“As a principle, no nation should allow its land to be a theater of war. And no nation should allow its neighbors to be their enemies,” Gumi wrote on Facebook.
He urged the government to “halt all military cooperation with the USA immediately because of its imperial tendencies worldwide and seek the help of those neutral countries mentioned,” naming China, Turkey and Pakistan as viable alternatives capable of providing effective military aid.
Gumi argued that “dropping a few bombs here and there cannot tackle the menace of terror; they need serious military on the ground, which, if we are serious, we have enough men to do that.”
He further characterized the strikes as “symbolic of a harbinger neo-Crusade war against Islam,” pointing to their location in Sokoto — a predominantly Muslim area with “no imminent danger of terror” — and timing on Christmas Eve, amid US claims of protecting against “Christian genocide.”
“We believe the terror is manufactured and sustained by the same people claiming to fight it,” Gumi added, calling on affected villages to “upload videos and pictures of any casualties involved.”
The cleric emphasized that annihilating terrorists aligns with Islamic principles, citing the Prophet Muhammad’s stance, but insisted it must be done by “clean, holy hands” rather than foreign powers with a record of harming innocents.
Nigeria’s foreign ministry affirmed the collaboration with Washington involves “intelligence sharing and strategic coordination in line with international law and Nigeria’s sovereignty,” with a focus on “prioritising civilian protection and national unity.”
The airstrikes targeted Sokoto state, where Trump said US forces hit “terrorist scum” primarily attacking Christians, as part of broader American designations of Nigeria for religious freedom concerns.
Gumi predicted the issue could fuel political debates ahead of the 2027 elections, stating: “Nigerians are too educated to be played with. This is going to be a 2027 campaign discourse.”
