Islamic cleric, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi, has cautioned against any form of foreign military involvement in Nigeria’s ongoing fight against terrorism, warning that such action could worsen insecurity and attract global extremist groups into the country.
In a statement shared on Facebook on Monday, Gumi stressed that Nigeria’s sovereignty must not be compromised, describing it as a “red line” that should not be crossed under any security arrangement involving external forces.
He argued that Nigeria’s military has not been prevented from carrying out operations against insurgents, dismissing claims that counterterrorism efforts have been weakened by policy decisions such as amnesty programmes.
“Never for one second has the military halted hostilities in the name of Amnesty against unrepentant terrorists except the Niger Delta militants who got a blanket Amnesty,” he said.
Gumi also reflected on the long-running Boko Haram insurgency, noting that despite the death of its founder Muhammad Yusuf in 2009, the group has continued to evolve and remain a major threat.
He blamed part of the crisis on what he described as flaws in military operations, particularly allegations of misconduct against civilians, which he said had eroded public trust and weakened the effectiveness of counterterrorism efforts.
At the same time, the cleric strongly rejected the idea of US or other foreign military intervention, warning that it could turn Nigeria into a new hotspot for international terrorist activity.
He further referenced controversial international claims about alleged funding channels involving humanitarian agencies, using them to support his argument that foreign involvement could complicate Nigeria’s security situation.
Gumi concluded by urging national unity and stronger support for Nigeria’s armed forces, insisting that the country must rely on internal solutions rather than external military intervention.
His comments come amid renewed counterterrorism operations in the northeast, including recent joint Nigerian–US strikes targeting Islamic State-linked fighters.