Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has claimed that his name was allegedly listed for elimination by the United States following recent terror attacks in Nigeria, a revelation that has triggered widespread debate and controversy across the country.
Gumi, who is based in Kaduna, made the claim in a video address to worshippers that later went viral on social media. The video, shared by a user identified as General Somto, shows the cleric alleging that he narrowly escaped being targeted in a United States air strike.
According to Gumi, he received the information on the same day the US reportedly carried out air strikes against terrorist targets in Nigeria. He said a senior government official in Abuja contacted him early that morning to brief him on deliberations at a national security meeting.
The cleric claimed the unnamed official told him that his name had come up during discussions and that he was allegedly identified as a Boko Haram member and placed on a list for elimination through a US air strike.
“I received a call from a high ranking official in Abuja who told me that my name was among those listed by the United States for elimination as a Boko Haram member,” Gumi said in the video.
He described the allegation as false and dangerous, urging northern political leaders and Islamic clerics to speak out against what he called reckless accusations that could cost innocent lives.
Gumi’s claims come in the aftermath of a reported US air strike on December 25 that targeted fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province in parts of Sokoto State. The operation followed earlier comments by former US President Donald Trump, who warned that the United States would intervene to eliminate terrorists attacking Christians in Nigeria.
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The Kaduna based cleric criticized foreign military involvement in Nigeria, arguing that external interventions often worsen insecurity rather than solve it. He accused the United States and other foreign powers of contributing to the emergence and spread of insurgent groups through past policies and interventions.
Gumi also questioned global narratives around terrorism and expressed concern over what he described as the silence of political and religious leaders in northern Nigeria amid continued attacks by Boko Haram and ISWAP.
He further alleged that foreign powers were taking sides along religious lines, warning that such actions deepen divisions and fuel insecurity within the country.
As of the time of this report, neither the United States government nor Nigerian security authorities have responded to Gumi’s claims.
