“Halt Military Cooperation With U.S. Immediately” — Sheikh Gumi Warns Tinubu, Condemns U.S. Airstrikes on Bandits, Says Involvement Could Endanger Innocent Nigerians

Controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has implored the Nigerian government to immediately halt all military cooperation with the United States following Thursday’s airstrikes targeted at ISWAP terrorists in Sokoto State by the US.

The Kaduna State-based Islamic scholar who has never hidden his preference for dialogue with terrorists and bandits, made the call in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Friday, warning that the US involvement could worsen Nigeria’s security challenges and undermine the country’s sovereignty.

He however noted that while Islam permits the fight against terrorism, such actions should only be carried out by people with clean hands and not the United States, a country he described as lacking the moral authority to lead such efforts because of its global military record.

According to the cleric, Nigeria made a mistake by allowing foreign powers to play a role in its counterterrorism operations, while insisting that terrorists do not truly fight terrorists as such interventions often result in civilian casualties and hidden political motives.

Gumi also warned that allowing Nigeria to become a theatre of war would attract anti-US forces into the country, further destabilising it.

The cleric argued that airstrikes alone cannot defeat terrorism, stressing that effective counterterrorism requires strong ground operations, which he said Nigeria has enough personnel to carry out if properly organised.

In the post titled ‘The Symbolism of the US strike!”, Gumi said if Nigeria truly needs military assistance in fighting terrorism, the likes of China, Turkey, and Pakistan can do the job effectively.

“Annihilating terrorists is an Islamic obligation. The Prophet – peace be upon him- wished he annihilated them. He said: “Should I live till they appear, I would kill them as the Killing of the nation of ‘Ad.” Al-Bukhari and Muslim,” he wrote.

“This said, 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 just recently.

“This is the mistake Nigeria has made. Terrorists don’t fight terrorists in truth; they may only kill innocent people and have ulterior motives behind the drama of fighting ‘terror’.

‘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. If Nigeria wants military assistance, China, Turkey, and Pakistan can do the job effectively.

“The US involvement in Nigeria will attract the real anti-US forces, making our land the theater of war. The USA’s involvement in Nigeria, citing coming to ‘protect Christians’, will ultimately polarize our nation and infringe on our sovereignty.

“Nigeria should halt all military cooperation with the USA immediately because of its imperial tendencies worldwide and seek the help of those neutral countries mentioned. Nigerians are too educated to be played with. This is going to be a 2027 campaign discourse.

“Meanwhile, 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. We call on all villages affected to upload videos and pictures of any casualties involved.

“The attacks are symbolic of a harbinger neo-Crusade war against Islam. 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. We believe the terror is manufactured and sustained by the same people claiming to fight it. A word is enough for the wise!”