Gumi Denies Online Reports Tying Him to Banditry, Threatens Legal Action

Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has rejected online reports and materials allegedly linking him to support for banditry in Nigeria, describing them as fake and deliberately manipulated.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Islamic cleric said certain individuals and groups pursuing ethnic and sectional interests had doctored his media interviews, public lectures, and comments on insecurity to create sensational headlines and drive online traffic.

He declared that any video clip, written statement, or message attributed to him suggesting support, justification, or advocacy for banditry anywhere in Nigeria did not come from him.

Gumi reaffirmed his loyalty to Nigeria, describing the nation as one with unmatched potential. He urged the public, media organisations, and government authorities to disregard all misleading materials circulating in his name.

The cleric also warned that anyone continuing to spread falsehoods against him would face legal action from the date of the statement.

He expressed hope that Nigeria would overcome its security challenges, adding that victims of violence across the country would find comfort in the collective resolve of Nigerians and the international community to end insecurity.

Gumi attributed the persistence of insecurity to factors such as ignorance, poverty, and widespread social injustice, while calling for lasting solutions to the crisis.