Prominent Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Mahmoud Gumi has strongly denied any links to banditry or terrorism, insisting he remains committed to Nigeria’s unity and would never back any agenda that harms the country.
Speaking at a press conference in Kaduna, Gumi accused unnamed ethnic interest groups and sensational online content creators of deliberately twisting his public comments and media interviews to portray him as a supporter of insecurity. “I hereby state that any video clip, written statement or message attributed to me suggesting support for banditry or terrorism does not emanate from me,” he declared.
In a press statement issued in Kaduna on Saturday, May 23, he described the reports as fake, manipulated, and doctored by individuals and groups pursuing ethnic and sectional interests, saying some of his media interviews, public lectures and comments on insecurity had been deliberately misrepresented by certain internet content creators seeking sensational headlines and online traffic.
He urged the public, media organisations, and relevant authorities to disregard misleading materials being circulated in his name, and warned that individuals or groups continuing to spread false information about him from the date of the statement would face legal action.
“I have no other country but Nigeria, so I will not support anything that will lead to its destruction. I will never support terrorists to destroy the country,” he declared at Monday’s press conference.
Gumi defended his long-standing position that military force alone cannot end the banditry and insurgency plaguing northern states. He described himself as a loyal Nigerian committed to ending violence through dialogue and reconciliation rather than military force alone, renewing his call for a non-kinetic approach to tackling insecurity in Nigeria and arguing that nearly two decades of military operations have failed to end terrorism and banditry across the country.
The denial carries significant weight given the backdrop from which it emerges. As recently as March 2026, Gumi had gone on record in an interview with DRTV saying that the Nigerian government knows every terrorist by name and location, while defending his repeated visits to forests and camps to meet with armed groups. He noted that he does not negotiate alone, saying he goes accompanied by police, military, and other security agencies.
His advocacy for an official dialogue with banditry elements has repeatedly drawn public calls for his arrest and prosecution from Nigerians and observers who view him not merely as a mediator but as a sympathiser.
The cleric has consistently rejected that characterisation, and his latest press conference and signed statement represent the most forceful and legally-backed pushback he has made against such allegations to date.
He expressed the hope that Nigeria would eventually overcome insecurity and that victims of violence would find healing through collective national efforts toward peace. “We must find solutions to our problems ourselves without creating more division,” he said.