Kaduna-based Islamic cleric Sheikh Abubakar Gumi has reignited the national debate on insecurity by claiming that the Nigerian government knows the identities and locations of terrorists operating within the country, while praising United States President Donald Trump for his willingness to pursue terrorists anywhere in the world. Gumi made the remarks during a television interview, drawing a sharp contrast between how Nigeria handles its security challenges and how global powers respond to similar threats.
Gumi did not present the claim as speculation. He stated plainly that the federal government possesses intelligence on the armed groups responsible for the violence that continues to devastate communities across several parts of the country. The assertion raises an uncomfortable question that many Nigerians have asked for years. If the authorities know who these people are and where they operate, what exactly is preventing decisive action from being taken against them.
The cleric went further by pointing to the international stage, specifically referencing the posture of the American president on matters of terrorism. Gumi suggested that Trump’s approach offers a clear example of what determined leadership looks like when it comes to confronting threats head-on, regardless of where those threats may be hiding.
Gumi was unambiguous in making the comparison.
“It is very clear to the world that Trump would go after terrorists anywhere they are hiding in the world to destroy them,” Gumi said.
The statement lands heavily in a country where kidnapping, banditry, and insurgency remain daily realities for millions of people. From the northeast where Boko Haram and its splinter factions continue to operate, to the northwest where bandits terrorize farming communities, to the southeast where separatist violence disrupts civilian life, the scale of insecurity in Nigeria has not eased despite years of military operations and billions spent on defence. For ordinary Nigerians who live under these conditions, hearing that the government already knows who is responsible only deepens the frustration.
Gumi has long positioned himself as a mediator between armed groups and the Nigerian state, arguing that dialogue can reduce violence and open pathways to peace. He has previously visited forests to engage with bandits, a move that earned him both praise and criticism. His supporters see him as a man willing to go where others will not in the interest of saving lives. His critics accuse him of giving legitimacy to criminals and question whose interests his interventions truly serve….See More
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