Islamic scholar Ahmad Abubakar Gumi has criticised recent United States military strikes on terrorist targets in Nigeria, warning that foreign intervention could further destabilise the country. He cautioned that such actions risk turning Nigeria into a theatre of war and deepening insecurity rather than resolving it.
SaharaReporters had reported that on Christmas Day, December 25, 2025, President Trump said the U.S. carried out “numerous precise strikes” against terrorists in northwest Nigeria. He said the operation targeted ISIS-linked fighters accused of killing Christians, describing the violence as “vicious” and unprecedented in scale.
In a Facebook statement titled “The Symbolism of the US Strike!”, Gumi said eliminating terrorists is permissible in Islam but must be done with moral integrity. “Annihilating terrorists is an Islamic obligation,” he said, adding that such actions should not be carried out by those he accused of causing mass civilian casualties elsewhere.
Gumi urged the Federal Government to halt all military cooperation with Washington, warning that U.S. involvement could polarise Nigeria and undermine sovereignty. “Nigeria should halt all military cooperation with the USA immediately,” he said, arguing that airstrikes alone cannot defeat terrorism and that alternative partners and local ground forces should be prioritised.