Sheikh Ahmad Gumi Accuses Groups Of Burying Empty Coffins Amid Christian Genocide Claims
Controversial Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has alleged that some groups in Nigeria’s Middle Belt are staging fake mass burials by “burying empty coffins” to push a false narrative of Christian genocide. Gumi shared the claim on his verified Facebook page while responding to criticism over his ongoing stay in Turkey amid rising global attention on alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria. His statement comes shortly after former U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that Christians are being killed in the country. Quoting a message he said he received from a doctor, Gumi wrote: “Some Middle Belt Christian groups are now staging fake mass killings. They are burying empty coffins and recording the process as if real victims were killed, just to push the narrative of a Christian genocide. This is desperation at its peak. A disgrace. Manipulating information just to provoke hatred and international sympathy.” The Kaduna-based cleric dismissed claims that he fled the country to avoid possible U.S. military intervention, explaining that his trip to Turkey was planned weeks before Trump’s statement. “I got my Turkish visa on 16 October 2025, and Trump’s tweet claiming ‘Christian genocide’ in Nigeria was on 1 November 2025. Yet some people concoct lies and believe them. Trump has no power over us; it’s just your mind bowing down to him in worship,” Gumi wrote. He described the genocide allegations as a deliberate attempt to discredit Islam and undermine Sharia law in northern Nigeria. “After the fog has cleared, the alleged ‘Christian genocide’ is a well-planned attempt to attack Sharia law and stoke Islamophobia,” he added. Gumi also urged President Bola Tinubu to respond diplomatically, calling Trump’s statement a “direct affront” to Nigeria’s sovereignty. He recommended that the federal government summon the U.S. ambassador and demand an official retraction, warning that Nigeria should consider severing ties if no action is taken. “President Tinubu should summon the U.S. ambassador; they either retract their threats or we sever diplomatic ties with this irresponsible regime,” Gumi said. He further emphasized that Nigeria should diversify its foreign relations, noting that “the world is no longer unipolar” and the country “has friends elsewhere who respect our sovereignty.”