By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Prominent Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has urged President Bola Tinubu to take immediate diplomatic action — including severing relations — with the United States if former U.S. President Donald Trump does not withdraw his recent threat of possible military intervention in Nigeria. ([Daily Trust][1])
Gumi, writing on his verified Facebook page on Sunday, described Trump’s remarks as “a profound disrespect” to Nigeria’s sovereignty and called on the federal government to summon the U.S. ambassador and demand a formal retraction. He warned that failure to secure a withdrawal of the threat should prompt Nigeria to “sever diplomatic ties with this irresponsible regime.” ([Daily Trust][1])
The cleric’s intervention follows public comments by President Trump in which he said he had asked the U.S. Defense Department to prepare for possible military action in Nigeria over alleged killings of Christians — remarks that prompted immediate controversy and a firm rebuttal from Nigerian officials. International news agencies reported that Trump suggested U.S. options could include troops on the ground or air strikes.
In his post, Gumi argued that Nigeria should not be overly dependent on a single foreign partner and that alternative economic and security partnerships are available. “For Trump to threaten a sovereign country with military attack is a profound disrespect to our authority, but we can rise above it,” he wrote.
The cleric also relayed a more militant line attributed to another commentator, Sani Aliyu Hunkuyi, who reportedly said some Nigerian Muslims were willing to defend the country “even if confronting the U.S. military” and framed such resistance in religious terms. That language, which advocates armed resistance and invokes jihadist rhetoric, is likely to be controversial and heightens the sensitivity of the diplomatic dispute.
Nigeria’s presidency and senior officials have engaged diplomatically since the threat surfaced, stressing the complexity of the country’s security challenges and rejecting characterisations that reduce violence to a single religious dynamic. The presidency reportedly intensified engagement with Washington while asserting Nigeria’s sovereignty and its commitment to protecting all citizens.
Analysts say Gumi’s appeal reflects wider domestic unease over external pressure and the emotive politics of sovereignty. Diplomats caution that any decision to sever ties would carry wide-ranging economic and security consequences, including potential impacts on aid, military cooperation and Nigeria’s international relationships.
Sheikh Gumi has been a vocal commentator on security and banditry issues in northern Nigeria; his call for a robust state response to perceived foreign intimidation is likely to resonate with constituencies that view external threats as an infringement on national dignity. The federal government has yet to indicate whether it will follow Gumi’s advice publicly.
