Islamic cleric Ahmad Gumi has advised against bringing the United States into Nigeria’s ongoing fight against terrorism, warning that such involvement could worsen the security situation and attract more foreign extremist groups into the country.
In a post shared on Facebook on Monday, Gumi described Nigeria’s sovereignty as “a red line,” stressing that the country’s military already has the capacity to handle insecurity if operations are carried out fairly and without bias or hidden agendas.
He also rejected claims that the military has been restricted from taking strong action against bandits and Boko Haram due to government amnesty programmes, calling such claims false and misleading.
According to him, Boko Haram has continued its activities for nearly 17 years since the death of its founder Mohammed Yusuf in 2009, showing that the crisis has persisted despite years of military operations.
Gumi argued that the failure to fully defeat insurgency is partly linked to alleged mistakes by security forces, including the use of excessive force and the killing of innocent civilians during operations.
He maintained that Nigeria does not need foreign military involvement, insisting that external intervention could make the situation worse.
He further explained that the Nigerian military can effectively manage the crisis if rules of engagement are properly followed and if resources are used transparently and without discrimination.
“The military can handle the situation if the rules of engagement are free from prejudices and deception, both in the application of force and finances,” he wrote.
Gumi also warned that involving the United States could turn Nigeria into a new battlefield for international terror groups, increasing violence rather than reducing it.