Controversial and infamous Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has alleged that American intelligence agencies are behind the persistent banditry and Boko Haram terrorism plaguing parts of Nigeria.
Gumi made the claim in a Facebook post on Saturday while reacting to comments by Mike Arnold, an American who has publicly raised concerns about the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
Arnold had shared photos of himself with prominent Nigerians, including former Cross River Governor Donald Duke and Information Minister Mohammed Idris, writing, “These are a few of the people I’ve met and places I’ve been to in Nigeria over the years.”
In his response, Gumi accused Arnold of pushing a false narrative of “Christian genocide” and questioned his failure to visit affected northern communities.
“After all the barking about ‘fake Christian genocide’, it is shameful to realise that this man has been almost everywhere where Christians are prosperous, yet he has not visited Zamfara, Katsina and other northern states suffering from the activities of bandits and Boko Haram allegedly sponsored by the same American intelligence. One of the things Islam abhors is lies and liars,” Gumi wrote.
The cleric has a history of making claims of US involvement in Nigeria’s security matters. In December, he condemned reported US airstrikes on terrorist hideouts in Sokoto State, describing them as an attack on Islam.
Gumi’s latest remarks come amid ongoing efforts to deepen Nigeria-US security cooperation. On Friday, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga disclosed that National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu met with US Vice President JD Vance and other American officials to discuss enhanced collaboration on tackling insecurity.
The controversial statement is likely to spark fresh debate about foreign involvement in Nigeria’s complex security challenges.
