Gumi Tells Tinubu To End Ties With US If Trump Fails To Withdraw War Threat

Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has urged President Bola Tinubu to sever diplomatic relations with the United States if President Donald Trump does not withdraw his threat to launch military action against Nigeria.

Trump had on Friday redesignated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over alleged persecution of Christians. Hours later, he warned that “the USA will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country ‘guns-a-blazing’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists killing Christians.”

His comments were followed by a statement from US Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, who revealed that his department was already preparing for possible military intervention if Nigeria failed to address what Washington described as “the killing of innocent Christians.”

A group of right-wing American lawmakers, led by Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, has also continued to push the narrative of Christian persecution in Nigeria. In October, Cruz introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025, a bill seeking sanctions against Nigerian officials accused of enabling attacks on Christians.

Reacting on Sunday, Gumi described Trump’s remarks as a direct affront to Nigeria’s sovereignty and called on President Tinubu to issue a strong diplomatic response.

“For Trump to threaten a sovereign country with military attack is a profound disrespect to our authority, but we can rise above it,” Gumi stated.

He added, “President Tinubu should summon the US ambassador immediately. They must retract those threats, or we cut ties with this irresponsible regime. Nigeria has other options for economic cooperation and military partnership.”