CRIME
Sheikh Gumi Slams Nigerians Backing U.S. Sokoto Airstrikes, Calls Supporters ‘Stupid’ and Says Trump’s Hands Are ‘Bloodstained’
Controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmed Gumi, has launched a scathing attack on Nigerians who applauded the recent United States airstrikes on militant targets in Sokoto State, branding such supporters as “stupid” and accusing them of failing to grasp the broader implications for Nigeria’s sovereignty and security.
The airstrikes, which reportedly received the approval of Nigerian authorities, were said to have targeted camps linked to the Islamic State in the West African Province (ISWAP). Government officials described the operation as a precision military action, executed based on intelligence provided by Abuja, and aimed at degrading insurgent networks operating in the region.
However, Gumi strongly faulted the decision to allow foreign military involvement in Nigeria’s internal security challenges. He argued that permitting U.S. forces to carry out strikes on Nigerian soil was a grave strategic misstep and urged the Federal Government to take immediate steps to end such cooperation.
He said: “The Nigeria government should call the attention of the ambassadors concerned to immediately withdraw the US military intervention on Nigeria insurgency fight.”
Speaking in a video that has since circulated widely on social media, the cleric turned his criticism toward Nigerians who welcomed the strikes, suggesting that their reactions were rooted in fear and a shallow understanding of national security dynamics.
“This is nothing but a betrayal of our Nigerians. Some people will be saying that since we cannot end the insecurity and we have United States government intervention, why don’t we gladly accept the help?” he said.
Gumi went further, openly insulting those who support foreign military assistance.
“There are stupid people whose thinking faculty is very small; they are the ones who will think so.”
The cleric also launched a personal attack on former U.S. President Donald Trump, accusing him of responsibility for violence across the globe.
“This person (US President Donald Trump) must be stopped and chased out. This is a person that has his hands stained with the blood of children and adults,” Gumi said.
Using a vivid metaphor to drive home his point, he added: “How can you call for assistance from a thief when they enter your house?”
In a separate statement titled ‘The Symbolism of the US Strike’, published on his Facebook page last week, Gumi argued that Nigeria had committed a strategic error by aligning with the United States militarily. He warned that foreign interventions often come with hidden motives and rarely deliver genuine solutions.
According to him, “terrorists don’t fight terrorists in truth; they may only kill innocent people and have ulterior motives behind the drama of fighting ‘terror.’”
He cautioned that no sovereign nation should allow its territory to become a battleground for foreign powers or permit alliances that could turn neighbouring countries into enemies.
Gumi stressed that external military presence frequently escalates conflicts rather than resolving them.
While rejecting U.S. involvement, the cleric suggested alternative partners, insisting that Nigeria could seek assistance elsewhere without compromising its sovereignty.
“If Nigeria wants military assistance, China, Turkey, and Pakistan can do the job effectively,” he said, warning that American intervention would “attract the real anti-US forces, making our land the theatre of war.”
Gumi further warned that U.S. military actions, especially those framed as protecting Christians, could inflame religious tensions, deepen divisions within the country, and ultimately undermine Nigeria’s unity and independence.
His remarks have reignited national debate over foreign military cooperation, sovereignty, and the long-term consequences of international involvement in Nigeria’s fight against insurgency.