Sheikh Gumi Refutes Trump’s Genocide Allegation, Calls It Unverified and Misleading

Prominent Islamic scholar, Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Abubakar Gumi, has dismissed as baseless the recent claim by former U.S. President Donald Trump alleging “genocide” against Christians in Nigeria, describing it as unsubstantiated and lacking credible evidence.

Reacting to Trump’s statement and his threat of possible U.S. military action, Gumi cautioned against making such weighty accusations without proper investigation or verified facts.

“My comment on Trump’s allegations—yes, I call them allegations because he himself is asking Congress to investigate what he calls genocide. That means he is not even certain before making such a serious accusation,” Gumi said. “One should confirm facts before taking drastic steps.”

The cleric acknowledged that Nigeria faces serious security challenges but stressed that the violence is not targeted at any single religious or ethnic group.

“Nobody denies that Nigeria is facing insecurity, but it is not specific to Christians or Muslims. It is a widespread problem caused by many long-standing factors,” he explained. “Steps are being taken in the right direction, but a crisis of this magnitude needs time, effort, and energy to resolve.”

Gumi also criticised the approach of the United States, suggesting that a truly supportive ally would help Nigeria strengthen its military and economy instead of issuing threats.

“I wonder why, instead of threatening military action, America does not supply us with the military hardware we need. If the U.S. is sincere, why not help us grow our economy and strengthen our military?” he asked.

He called on the Nigerian government to respond firmly but diplomatically to Trump’s remarks and urged religious leaders across the country to speak truthfully about the nature of Nigeria’s security challenges to prevent further division.

“What happened in the past were clashes between herders and farmers, where both Muslims and Christians suffered casualties,” Gumi said. “Now that tensions have reduced, this is the time for good Christians and good Muslims to speak up for peace.”

The respected cleric concluded by urging Nigerians to set aside religious and ethnic differences in the collective effort to achieve lasting peace.

“Let us unite and build a country where everyone can live peacefully,” he added.

Opinion Nigeria News