President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent directive to security agencies to intensify action against terrorists has coincided with renewed public commentary by Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, including a viral video in which he claimed that a “top official in Abuja” warned him of an alleged plan by the United States to target him as a Boko Haram figure.
The claim has generated widespread debate, but there is no independent confirmation from Nigerian or U.S. authorities to support the assertion. The United States has also made no public statement indicating that Sheikh Gumi is under consideration for any form of military or law-enforcement targeting.
From an objective security standpoint, the allegation does not align with known U.S. counterterrorism practices. The United States typically focuses its military and intelligence resources on individuals or groups with clearly established operational roles within internationally designated terrorist networks. There is no public record placing Sheikh Gumi on any U.S. or international terrorist designation list, nor is there evidence that he commands armed groups or maintains operational ties that would ordinarily trigger such action.
More significantly, the claim raises serious national security questions for Nigeria—not because of its substance, but because of its implications.
If taken at face value, the assertion that classified intelligence regarding foreign targeting decisions was leaked to a civilian cleric would point to a major breach of information security within Nigeria’s national security architecture. Intelligence relating to joint counterterrorism cooperation is normally restricted to a small circle within the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Defence Intelligence Agency, the Department of State Services, the Armed Forces, and relevant international liaison channels.
Any suggestion that such sensitive information was casually disclosed outside official structures would warrant urgent investigation. It would raise concerns about internal discipline, confidentiality protocols, and the integrity of intelligence handling—areas critical to Nigeria’s ongoing fight against insurgency and banditry.
There is also the broader diplomatic dimension. U.S.–Nigeria counterterrorism cooperation relies heavily on trust, discretion, and secure communication. Allegations of internal leaks—whether accurate or not—risk undermining that cooperation and could affect the depth and quality of intelligence sharing at a time when regional security threats remain acute.
Conversely, if the claim is unfounded, it highlights another challenge: the ease with which unverified security narratives can circulate in the public space, potentially eroding confidence in state institutions and distracting attention from genuine security priorities.
At present, no Nigerian or U.S. authority has confirmed the existence of any targeting list involving Sheikh Gumi. In the absence of evidence, the claim remains speculative. However, its public circulation alone is sufficient to compel security agencies to clarify facts, reinforce information-security safeguards, and reassure both citizens and international partners.
Ultimately, Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts depend not only on military capability but also on disciplined communication, credible intelligence management, and public trust. Any narrative—true or false—that suggests weaknesses in these areas deserves careful scrutiny, not sensationalism.
What the country needs is focus, transparency, and institutional strength, rather than conjecture that risks deepening divisions or diverting attention from the real work of restoring security and stability.
Denge. Josef Onoh
Former Southeast Spokesman to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Former Chairman, Forum of Ex-Members, Enugu State House of Assembly
