NIGERIANS have criticised Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, for condemning the United States airstrikes on ISIS terrorists on Christmas night, asking the government to arrest and interrogate him.
The U.S. President, Mr Donald Trump, on Thursday, ordered American military to strike terrorists’ base in the North-West state of Sokoto on Christmas night, targeting ISIS militants he accused of killing Christians. He described the operation as ‘decisive’ and warned that more strikes would follow if the violence continued.
“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS terrorist scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians,” Trump wrote Thursday on Truth Social.
He said he had previously warned the militants that there would be consequences if the attacks did not stop, adding that the U.S. military conducted ‘numerous perfect strikes.’
Source: https://www.aol.com/
“Under my leadership, our country will not allow radical Islamic terrorism to prosper,” Trump added, while praising the U.S. military and sending Christmas greetings.
READ ALSO: Trump launches Christmas night airstrikes in North-West Nigeria targeting ISIS militants
However, this has not gone down well with Sheikh Gumi, who said the United States airstrikes would be counter-productive, warning that the operation could deepen national divisions and undermine the country’s sovereignty.
The cleric’s comments followed U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that American forces carried out deadly attacks targeting Islamic State militants accused of killing Christians.
In a Facebook post on Friday, Gumi said eliminating terrorists was an Islamic duty, citing the Prophet Muhammad’s position on destroying violent groups. However, he argued that such action should be taken by ‘clean, holy hands,’ not foreign militaries whose records, he claimed, included the killing of innocent civilians.
Gumi urged the Nigerian government to end its military cooperation with the U.S. and instead seek support countries he described as ‘neutral nations’ such as China, Turkey, and Pakistan. He noted that airstrikes alone would not defeat terrorism, insisting Nigeria had enough manpower for ground-based operations.
“As a principle, no nation should allow its land to be a theatre of war,” he wrote. “U.S. involvement will attract real anti-U.S. forces and polarise our nation under the guise of protecting Christians,” urging affected communities to document civilian casualties.
Gumi further described the strikes in Sokoto State – a predominantly Muslim area – as symbolically provocative, likening them to a ‘neo-Crusade’ against Islam and questioning why regions with lesser immediate threats were targeted.
“The attack on Sokoto on Christmas Eve, framed as protecting Christians, speaks volumes,” he said, alleging that terrorism was being manufactured and “sustained by the same people claiming to fight it.”
Sheikh Gumi has not hidden his support for negotiating with bandits, insisting that some of them were wrongly treated and would stop terror-related acts if they saw some form of seriousness from the Nigerian government.
Nigerians knock Gumi
But Nigerians aren’t happy with the Islamic cleric, stressing that he should be arrested for his disposition. A lawyer and human rights activist, with an X handle, @AbdulMahmud01, wrote: “Gumi’s post on Facebook 20 minutes ago. #ArrestGumiNow.”
Another X user, @Samzonal, wrote: “Gumi’s continued advocacy for the terrorists has been sustained without checks. Why can’t he be at least invited for interrogation? If they are so scared of arresting him.”
Yet another X user, @Ekiti2027, wrote: “So, in summary, an attack against terrorists is an attack against Islam… Lol, I think the DSS should invite Gunmi and ask him for more clarification. There are billions of Muslims worldwide and they are not terrorists. So, Gunmi should not equate terrorism with Islam.”
The criticisms against Sheikh Gumi did not end on social media. Off the X, a human right acivist, Mr Olakunle Ayodele, said he could not comprehend how someone of Sheikh Gumi’s status would publicly condemn the U.S. for doing what the Nigerian military wouldn’t be able to do.
“We all accept that insecurity is our major problem. Why would Sheikh Gumi reject the U.S. assistance because it was from his so-called ‘unholy and unclean hands.’ Is he saying that the terrorists’ hands are clean and holy? He has consistently been an advocate for bandits or terrorists, and has now shown clearly why the government should arrest him,” he claimed.
The airstrikes carried out on terrorists on Christmas night in Sokoto State were the efforts of the US-AFRICOM, according to a statement by the United States Command, Economy Post had reported.
