US Air Strikes: Islamic Cleric Gumi Condemns Airstrikes, Tells Tinubu to End Military Cooperation with U.S
“If Nigeria wants military assistance, China, Turkey, and Pakistan can do the job effectively,” Gumi said, insisting that the Nigerian government has made a mistake by allowing the US to launch attack on ISIS terrorists in the country.
By: Olufemi Orunsola
In a swift reaction to the Christmas day target US aurstrikes against Islamic terrorist in Nigeria, controversial Nigerian Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has called on the Federal Government to immediately halt all military cooperation with the United States, counselling that countries like China,Turkey and Pakistan can effectively do the job.
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA OTN News reports that Gumi warned that American involvement could worsen Nigeria’s security challenges and undermine national sovereigntcobtriversiantriversial cleric made the call in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Friday.
He said while Islam permits the fight against terrorism, such actions should only be carried out by what he described as “clean hands,” arguing that the United States lacks the moral authority to lead such efforts because of its global military record.
According to him, Nigeria made a mistake by allowing foreign powers to play a role in its counterterrorism operations, insisting that “terrorists do not truly fight terrorists” and that such interventions often result in civilian casualties and hidden political motives.
Gumi warned that allowing Nigeria to become a theatre of war would attract anti-US forces into the country, further destabilising it.
He also cautioned that US involvement, particularly under claims of protecting Christians, could polarise the country along religious lines.
The cleric further argued that airstrikes alone can not defeat terrorism, stressing that effective counterterrorism requires strong ground operations, which he said Nigeria has enough personnel to carry out if properly organised.
“This is the mistake Nigeria has made. Terrorists don’t fight terrorists in truth; they may only kill innocent people and have ulterior motives behind the drama of fighting ‘terror’.
“As a principle, no nation should allow its land to be a theater of war. And no nation should allow its neighbors to be their enemies.
“If Nigeria wants military assistance, China, Turkey, and Pakistan can do the job effectively,” part of his statement read.
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