Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has cautioned against involving America in Nigeria's counter-terrorism operations. He warned that such intervention could draw international terror networks into the country.
Gumi made his position clear on Monday via Facebook. Nigeria's sovereignty is non-negotiable, he stressed.
According to the cleric, Nigeria's military has the capacity to defeat insurgents. The armed forces simply need to operate without corruption and bias, he argued.
He dismissed suggestions that amnesty programmes have hampered military operations against bandits and Boko Haram. Such claims are false and designed to mislead, Gumi said.
Nearly 17 years have passed since Boko Haram's founder, Mohammed Yusuf, was extrajudicially killed in 2009. Yet the group continues to pose threats across the region.
Gumi attributed the failure of military-only approaches to excesses by security personnel. Killings of innocent civilians have undermined counter-insurgency efforts, he noted.
American involvement in Nigeria's security battles would be catastrophic. It would create a magnet for global terror organisations seeking new operational bases.
In his words: "The military can handle the situation if the rules of engagement are free from prejudices and deception, both in the application of force and finances."
He added: "The involvement of the USA will only attract international terror groups to the 'new arena,' exposing Nigeria to an unnecessary increase in violence."
