US airstrikes will turn Nigeria into a war zone — Sheikh Gumi warns

Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has reacted strongly to recent United States airstrikes targeting terrorists in Nigeria’s North West, cautioning that the move could have dangerous consequences for the country.

In a Facebook post shared on Friday, December 26, 2025, Gumi warned that direct involvement of the US military would draw global anti-American forces into Nigeria, effectively turning the nation into a battlefield. He urged the federal government to immediately end all military collaboration with the United States.

According to the cleric, while eliminating terrorists is a religious duty in Islam, such actions must be carried out by what he described as “clean and holy hands,” not by external forces he accused of causing widespread civilian deaths elsewhere in the world.

Gumi argued that Nigeria had made a grave mistake by allowing foreign military intervention, stating that “terrorists do not truly fight terrorists” and that innocent civilians often bear the cost of such operations. He stressed that no country should permit its territory to become a theater of war or allow foreign powers to turn neighboring nations into enemies.

The Islamic scholar further claimed that US involvement—especially under the pretext of protecting Christians—could deepen religious divisions, undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty, and polarize the country. He said such actions may also become a major topic in Nigeria’s 2027 political campaigns.

Gumi advised the government to seek assistance from what he termed more neutral nations if external help is required, rather than relying on the United States, which he accused of imperial ambitions.

He also dismissed airstrikes as ineffective, saying that sporadic bombings cannot resolve terrorism without a strong and committed ground military presence. According to him, Nigeria already has enough personnel to handle the challenge if properly mobilized.

In his remarks, Gumi described the attacks as symbolic of what he called a looming “neo-Crusade” against Islam, questioning why areas like Sokoto—where he claimed there was no immediate terror threat—were targeted, while regions such as Maiduguri face more severe security challenges.

Concluding his message, Gumi alleged that terrorism is being “manufactured and sustained” by the same forces claiming to fight it, adding, “A word is enough for the wise.”