Gumi claims US marked him for strike, accuses authorities of linking him to Boko Haram
Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has claimed that the United States government placed him on a targeted list for a possible military strike, alleging that he was labelled a member of the extremist group Boko Haram, claim that has generated controversy and drawn responses from security analysts.
In remarks made during a recent broadcast interview, Gumi said he was informed through unnamed channels that he had been “marked for a strike” by the US due to supposed intelligence linking him to Boko Haram activities. The cleric vehemently denied any affiliation with the terrorist group, describing himself as a religious scholar committed to peace and dialogue.
Gumi, who has previously engaged in controversial negotiations with armed groups in northern Nigeria, including serving as an interlocutor in past talks with bandits and insurgents, said the allegation was part of an effort to undermine his work and tarnish his reputation.
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“I am not a member of Boko Haram,” he stated in the interview. “I have always sought peaceful resolutions and am being unjustly targeted.”
Security experts noted that Gumi’s comments could further inflame debates around counter-terrorism engagements, the role of non-state actors in negotiating with insurgents, and the involvement of foreign governments in Nigeria’s internal security architecture.
The United States government has not publicly confirmed any such designation, and officials are yet to respond to the claims. Nigerian security authorities also did not immediately comment on Gumi’s statement.
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The cleric’s claim comes amid ongoing operations against Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the Northeast, where multinational cooperation, including intelligence sharing with Western partners remains a key component of military action.
The development has sparked public interest and mixed reactions on social and traditional media, with supporters defending Gumi’s reputation and critics warning against unverified assertions involving national and international security matters.
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