November 9, 2025
By Ayinde Adeleke
Prominent Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has cautioned the United States government against plans to launch airstrikes on terrorist cells in Nigeria, warning that such an operation could lead to widespread civilian casualties and escalate insecurity in the country.
Gumi issued the warning in reaction to reports suggesting that the U.S. government was considering targeted bomb attacks on militant hideouts in Northern Nigeria as part of international counter-terrorism support. He argued that extremist groups in the region have become deeply embedded within local communities, making it difficult to carry out aerial strikes without unintended harm.
According to him, military bombardment alone would not resolve the insurgency, which he said requires a combination of dialogue, rehabilitation, and security reforms.
“These terrorists are already mixed with civilians in the society. Any bombing campaign will result in more casualties among innocent people,” Gumi said. He added that previous foreign military interventions in conflict zones such as Afghanistan and Syria had shown that airstrikes often worsen humanitarian crises.
However, the Youth Wing of the Oodua Nationalist Coalition (ONAC) criticized Gumi’s position, accusing the cleric of defending groups responsible for widespread violence. The group called on the United States to take decisive action against extremist networks, insisting that terrorism in Nigeria has persisted due to weak governance and lack of accountability.
