Dalena Reporters l December 26, 2025
Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi has urged the Federal Government of Nigeria to immediately halt all military cooperation with the United States, warning that recent U.S. airstrikes against terrorist targets could further destabilise the country and undermine its sovereignty. Sheikh Gumi’s statement follows Christmas Day military actions announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, in which American forces carried out strikes targeting fighters Washington labelled as militants responsible for attacks on civilians in northwest Nigeria.
In a Facebook statement shared on Friday, Gumi acknowledged that Islam permits the fight against terrorism but stressed that such efforts must be undertaken by “clean, holy hands,” arguing that the U.S. lacks the moral authority to lead counterterrorism operations given its global military record of civilian casualties and controversial interventions. He said allowing foreign military presence could make Nigeria “a theatre of war” and attract anti-U.S. forces into the region, worsening insecurity rather than resolving it.
The cleric also criticised the framing of the airstrikes particularly the notion of protecting Christians — contending that it risks polarising the nation along religious lines and inflaming sectarian tensions. Gumi urged the government to seek assistance from nations he described as more neutral, such as China, Turkey, or Pakistan, instead of continuing cooperation with the U.S. He emphasized that airstrikes alone cannot end terrorism, advocating instead for well-coordinated ground operations utilizing Nigeria’s own security forces.
Gumi’s comments add to growing public debate over the presence and role of foreign military support in Nigeria’s fight against violence and insurgency, with critics expressing concern over sovereignty, civilian safety, and the long-term implications of external military involvement on national unity and stability.