Controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has warned the United States (US) against intervening in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria, saying the move may worsen the security crisis in the country rather than solve it.
Gumi said in a Facebook post on Monday that Nigeria must tread carefully in order not to sacrifice its sovereignty on the altar of seeking foreign assistance to combat banditry, Boko Haram insurgency and other forms of insecurity.
He said Nigeria’s sovereignty was “a red line” and added that the country’s military had the capacity to deal with the security challenges if its operations were guided by fairness, transparency and proper rules of engagement.
The cleric said the presence of foreign military, including that of the United States, could turn Nigeria into the new battleground for international terror networks.
He cautioned that such intervention could bring foreign extremist groups into the country, exposing Nigerians to a larger scale of violence.
The military can manage the situation if there are no prejudices and deception in the rules of engagement for the use of force and finances, Gumi said.
“The USA’s involvement will only attract international terror groups to the ‘new arena’ and subject Nigeria to an unnecessary rise in violence.”
The cleric also dismissed the idea that the Nigerian military had been hampered in confronting bandits and Boko Haram insurgents due to the amnesty initiatives.
He described the allegation as false and malicious, saying such claims were being used to mislead the public on the nature of the country’s security problems.
For years, Gumi has advocated dialogue and non-kinetic ways of dealing with armed groups, a position that has repeatedly attracted criticism from Nigerians who think the government should respond more forcefully with the military.
He also said an over-reliance on military force had failed to stamp out terrorism and banditry in the country.
He said Boko Haram was still active almost 17 years after the extra-judicial killing of its founder, Mohammed Yusuf, in 2009.
Gumi attributed the ongoing violence to what he called excesses by security forces, including alleged attacks on innocent civilians during military operations.
He said the fight against terrorism must be carried out without injustice, prejudice and financial fraud, warning that military action alone will not achieve lasting peace if the root causes of insecurity are ignored.
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