By Hon. Comrade James Onifade 
06-01-2026
By: Hon. Comrade James Onifade
Sheikh Ahmad Gumi’s hurried denial that he is being targeted for elimination by the United States during recent airstrikes on terrorist locations in Sokoto State is as revealing as it is unconvincing.
The controversial Islamic cleric’s panic at being mentioned in connection with counterterrorism operations speaks volumes and vindicates those of us who have long questioned why a man with such troubling associations continues to move freely across Nigeria.
This is not the first time i have raised alarms about Sheikh Gumi. In my previous article , i asked the question that many Nigerians have been pondering: Why does a man who has been accused of terrorist sympathies? questionable negotiations with bandits, and inflammatory statements continue to operate without consequences?
I specifically called for his interrogation, highlighting how his latest statement demanding an end to US-Nigeria military cooperation seemed designed to protect the very terrorists these operations are targeting.
I made it clear to the world that his freedom of movement, despite these red flags, represented a dangerous blind spot in Nigeria’s security architecture.
Now, the chickens appear to be coming home to roost.
Whether or not Gumi is actually on a US elimination list and his vehement denial suggests he fears he might be the very fact that such speculation has arisen is telling. When airstrikes target terrorist locations and a cleric immediately feels the need to publicly deny being targeted, one must ask: why would his name even come up in such conversations if there weren’t legitimate concerns about his activities?
This is precisely what we warned about. A man who:
• Has been photographed in forests negotiating with armed bandits
• Has made statements that many interpret as sympathetic to terrorist causes
• Has actively campaigned against international cooperation in fighting terrorism
• Has called for an end to military operations against those terrorizing Nigerian communities
Such a man should not be walking freely. He should be sitting in an interrogation room, answering hard questions about his connections, his funding sources, his communications with criminal elements, and his true agenda.
The fact that Gumi felt compelled to issue this denial is perhaps the strongest vindication of our earlier warnings. If he truly had nothing to hide, if his activities were purely humanitarian as he claims, if his negotiations with bandits were genuinely aimed at peace, why the panic? Why the need to publicly distance himself from terrorist targets?
The Nigerian government and security agencies can no longer afford to treat Gumi with kid gloves. His latest statement is not just a denial, it’s a wake-up call. When a man who has consistently positioned himself between the Nigerian state and armed criminal groups suddenly fears he might be on an elimination list alongside terrorists, perhaps it’s time to seriously examine what side of the line he actually stands on.
I repeat our call: Sheikh Ahmad Gumi must be thoroughly interrogated. His movements must be monitored. His communications must be scrutinized. His funding sources must be investigated. And if the evidence warrants it, he must face the full consequences of any terrorist links or sympathies.
The United States clearly takes its counterterrorism operations seriously targeting locations and individuals based on intelligence and evidence. If Gumi’s name is circulating in such circles, Nigeria cannot continue to look the other way simply because he wears religious garb and commands a following.
E-signed: Hon. Comrade James Onifade
Advocate for Good Governance and A Better Judicial System
Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin