Controversial Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has claimed that certain Christian groups in Nigeria’s Middle Belt have been “b+rying empty coffins” to fabricate mass k+llings and push a narrative of gen+cide. The statement came as he responded to criticisms while on his ongoing trip to Turkey.
Gumi cited a message from a doctor alleging that some groups are deliberately staging fake mass+cres, recording them as if real victims were involved, all to attract international sympathy. He called the practice “desperation at its peak” and a deliberate manip+lation aimed at fueling hatred.
The cleric dismissed suggestions that he fled Nigeria to escape potential U.S. military action following former President Donald Trump’s claims of a “Christian gen+cide.” He explained that his Turkish trip had been planned long before Trump’s statement.
Gumi also accused critics of using the allegations of gen+cide to att+ck Islam and Nigeria’s Sharia law. “This so-called Christian gen+cide is part of a well-orchestrated effort to malign Islam and fuel Islamophobia,” he asserted.
He urged President Bola Tinubu to take diplomatic action against the U.S., calling Trump’s remarks a “direct affront” to Nigeria’s sovereignty. Gumi suggested summoning the U.S. ambassador for a retraction or considering severing diplomatic ties, emphasizing that Nigeria should also diversify its global alliances.
