Foreign powers backing terrorists in Nigeria – Sheikh Gumi alleges

Prominent Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Mahmoud Gumi has raised fresh concerns over what he describes as the hidden involvement of powerful foreign nations in Nigeria’s prolonged security crisis.

Speaking in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service monitored in Kaduna, Sheikh Gumi claimed that recent patterns of attacks across the country suggest external support for armed groups operating in Nigeria.

According to him, the situation on the ground contradicts earlier signs of improvement in national security. He pointed to the Abuja–Kaduna highway—once regarded as a deadly corridor for commuters—noting that the route had become far safer in recent months before the renewed surge in violence.

The cleric also noted that farmers in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State, who had long abandoned their farmlands due to persistent threats, had gradually resumed farming activities, an indication that the security environment had shown signs of stability before the latest spike in attacks.

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Gumi insisted that the sudden reversal in progress raises questions that cannot be ignored.

He, however, urged the Nigerian government to intensify intelligence operations, strengthen diplomatic engagements, and scrutinise all external links that may be fuelling insecurity.