Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has cautioned against reported plans for the United States to launch military operations against terrorist groups in Nigeria, insisting such action would worsen insecurity rather than resolve it.
Speaking on Arise Television, Gumi described the U.S. as historically deceitful in foreign interventions. He referenced the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya as examples where American military involvement failed to achieve stability and left greater destruction behind.
According to him, U.S. military action in Nigeria would lead to massive civilian casualties and escalate violence, noting that terrorist groups are deeply embedded within local communities.
“You can’t just drop bombs and think the problem will end. These people are among civilians. Such actions will kill more Muslims and Christians and make the situation even worse,” he warned.
Gumi argued that Nigerians might trust support from countries like China or Russia more, claiming they have a reputation for not meddling in other nations’ internal affairs.
The cleric said he has been engaging with armed groups in the North to understand their grievances and encourage them to abandon violence. He explained that dialogue has helped reduce major attacks in parts of Kaduna State by addressing fighters’ motivations and negotiating peace.
“You don’t treat a disease without diagnosis. By talking to them, we understand their psychology and grievances. Many are now cooperating and keeping their weapons without active fighting,” he said.
He emphasized that the Nigerian military has battled Boko Haram and bandits for over a decade without fully defeating them, arguing this demonstrates that force alone cannot resolve the crisis.
“The army has been fighting for years and the problem persists. Using force against force will only deepen the crisis. Negotiation is the only sustainable path,” he added.
Gumi maintained that military airstrikes by the U.S. would cause unnecessary deaths and ultimately fail, calling instead for continuous engagement with armed groups to rehabilitate them and reintegrate them into society.
“We can gradually make them law-abiding citizens. Bombing will not solve this problem. It will only make things worse,” he stressed.
