Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has called on the Federal Government to stop all military collaboration with the United States, citing concerns that US-led airstrikes could worsen Nigeria’s security challenges and undermine sovereignty.
Gumi argued that the US lacks moral standing to lead counterterrorism efforts, given its history of military interventions.
The Islamic cleric warned that foreign involvement in Nigeria’s fight against insurgency could lead to civilian deaths and concealed political interest.
Gumi said this in a statement posted on his official Facebook page on Friday.
While acknowledging that Islam allows resistance against terrorism, he argued that such actions must be carried out by those with what he described as “clean hands.”
He added that dropping bombs cannot tackle terrorism effectively, noting that Nigeria has sufficient personnel for ground operations.
“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 cleric also described the airstrikes on Sokoto, a largely Muslim area, as symbolic of a neo-Crusade war against Islam and criticised the focus on regions with minimal immediate terrorist threats.
“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,” he said.