Controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has broken his silence on the lingering allegations surrounding the sponsors of terrorism in Nigeria.
The Kaduna-based scholar, in a strongly worded public prayer on Thursday, called for divine punishment on anyone benefiting from the bloodshed ravaging the country.
His remarks have once again placed him at the centre of national conversation on insecurity.
Gumi offered the prayer via his social media page, asking God to expose those responsible for the violence and unrest affecting many communities.
He declared that anyone—Nigerian or foreign—who profits directly or indirectly from terror attacks should face God’s anger.
According to him, such person deserve immediate punishment, provided the innocent are not harmed.
In his words: “Ya Allah! Whoever initiated or is behind this insecurity and bloodbath in Nigeria, whether foreign or citizen, or has any benefit, material or otherwise, or is even happy that people are being killed, or willingly did nothing to stop it, may by Your divine power be exposed and Your anger poured upon them and punished immediately without harm to the innocent. Amin. Say Amin!”
... immediately generated reactions from Nigerians, many of whom questioned Gumi’s choice of words and revived long-standing debates about his association with bandits.
Some users accused him of being sympathetic to criminal elements, while others simply echoed the prayer and expressed hope for accountability.
Responding to critics in the comment section, the cleric dismissed their sentiments and urged them to focus on the prayer rather than his personality.
He insisted that the message was directed at anyone enabling insecurity, whether through direct sponsorship, encouragement, or passive indifference.
Gumi has for years remained a controversial figure due to his engagements with armed groups in the North-West.
While he has defended his approach as a pathway to negotiation and peace, several groups have repeatedly called for his arrest, accusing him of emboldening bandits.
His latest outburst appears to be aimed at reinforcing his position that Nigeria’s insecurity crisis is driven not only by fighters on the ground but by hidden actors benefitting from the chaos.