By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
Controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi, has lambasted the United States over reports that it might launch military strikes against terrorists in Nigeria, branding the country a “nation of liars” and warning that such an intervention would only worsen insecurity across the nation.
In a report by Sahara Reporters, Gumi made the remarks during an interview on Arise TV, where he accused the U.S. of deceit and destructive interference in the affairs of other countries. He cited America’s past failures in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya as evidence of its lack of sincerity.
“America are known to be liars,” Gumi said. “They said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, and there were none. They have caused confusion in Iraq, in Libya, and everywhere. So when they say they want to help Nigeria by bombing terrorists, I don’t believe them.”
He continued, “So when they say Christians are killing, or there is massacre of Christians in Nigeria, from which side, they didn’t specify whether it is the government, or whether it is the Muslims that are doing it. Or even if Christians are targeted, whatever it is. If Americans can cure and eliminate the terrorists, I will welcome it myself.”
The cleric further stated that if a similar proposal had come from China or Russia, Nigerians might have been more receptive, noting that those nations “do not poke their noses into other people’s internal affairs.”
He said, “If it’s China coming to say that, people will believe it. Because China is not pokenosing into our internal affairs. If it’s Russians, people will believe them.”
According to Sahara Reporters, Gumi warned that a U.S.-led military campaign in Nigeria would result in heavy civilian casualties and deepen the ongoing crisis.
“But I know they cannot. Let me tell you, they have fought 20 years in Afghanistan, they could not finish them. Afghanistan is in Syria now,” he said.
“The same thing. And this terrorist you see, it’s not easy to just come and drop bombs here and there, and think you’ve finished them. They have infiltrated the society. So it’s going to cause more damage. More Muslims and more Christians will be killed if America would drop a bomb in Nigeria. I’m telling you this. And you can take it for a record. So what we are trying to avoid, we are going to even compound it. Look, myself, I have been trying to see how we can pacify these people. I’ve been going to see how we can pacify these people and redirect them. Because they are human beings. They listen and reason. But if you say you want to use force against force, then you will compound the problem and make the thing dirty,” Gumi said.
He also questioned the logic of foreign intervention when Nigeria’s own armed forces, despite years of experience, have yet to fully overcome insurgent groups.
“If Nigerian army, which has been very active in many hotspots, cannot deal with this issue for 15 years with Boko Harams, and now the bandits. And to me, the bandits are even more vicious. Because they are active,” he stated.
Gumi, who has long courted controversy for his interactions with armed groups in northern Nigeria, defended his peace efforts, insisting that dialogue and understanding remain the most effective ways to end the violence.
“You see, just to entice them to leave their weapons. You see, one thing good about it is, you see, you don’t treat a disease without diagnosis. If a doctor can diagnose a disease, even if it’s cancer, he will know how to manage it,” he explained.
“So the good thing about it is now we have, before we are fighting a phantom, we don’t know something is fighting us, coming to take us. We don’t know that person. Now, by going to talk with them and sit down with them and to hear their grievances and understand their psychology, so we are able now to contain the problem. Now, Kaduna is relatively safe. I can say from, you don’t hear any more mass killings now in Kaduna because we understand their psychology and the governor is cooperating. We are talking to them and they are keeping their weapons.”
The cleric noted that although many of the armed groups still possess their weapons, they are no longer engaging in active combat. He described the process as “gradual but effective.”
“Slowly, we will civilize them, take away their weapons, and make them good citizens,” Gumi said. “But using force against force will only make things worse.”
He concluded by reiterating his opposition to any U.S.-led airstrike, maintaining that such an approach would only escalate violence.
“I’m telling you, bombing will not solve this problem. It will make it dirty,” he warned.