One of the most talked about Islamic Preachers in Nigeria who have had photographs with people suspected to be terrorists; terrorizing villages and communities in the Northern part of Nigeria when he visited the suspected terrorists in their camps inside forests on the ground of having peace talk with the armed groups, Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Mahmud Gumi has described as a terrorist act the United States, US military action ordered by President Donald Trump that attacked and killed yet to be ascertained total numbers of ISIS affiliated Lakurawa terrorists in Sokoto State on Christmas Day, this, the Islamic Cleric called on the people in the villages affected by the US missiles’ strikes on Thursday night to post on social media platforms evidences of damages caused by the US military action,   according to Gumi, it is inline with the teaches of Islam for terrorists to be killed, but, the killing must be done by people with a clean and holy hands, and “not by another terrorist whose hands are stained with the blood of hundreds of thousands of innocent children, women, and men just recently”, stressing that, the US involvement in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria will make the country becomes an enemy of its neighbours, a theatre of war, because the involvement will attract the real anti-US Forces into the West Africa country, and in a manner that looked like mockery, Sheikh Gumi said “dropping a few bombs here and there cannot tackle the menace of terror; they need serious military on the ground, which, if we are serious, we have enough men to do that”, in contrary to Gumi’s assertions, the Nigeria Government, through the office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar said it was President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday that gave the US the approval to carry out the strikes against the terrorists, but the government statement apparently did not go down well with Omoyele Sowore, a human rights activist and the founder of SaharaReporters news media, who insisted that “it is evident that the strikes were carried out without the genuine authority or informed consent of the weaklings masquerading as government under Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu”, and in a swift reaction to Omoyele Sowore, one of the recently nominated and confirmed Ambassador-Designate, Reno Omokri said “I am afraid I will have to disagree with Mr Omoyele Sowore, and others like him, who are misinforming the Nigerian public that the recent actions against terrorists are proof that Nigeria lacks sovereignty, Such views are indicative of a lack of awareness of international relations, It is also wrong for Mr Sowore to call our government and military weak”.

Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Mahmud Gumi in a statement titled; “The Symbolism of the US strike!” he shared on his verified Facebook account when he reshared the news link of a post published by CNN on Friday,  said “Annihilating terrorists is an Islamic obligation. The Prophet – peace be upon him- wished he annihilated them. He said: “Should I live till they appear, I would kill them as the Killing of the nation of ‘Ad.” Al-Bukhari and Muslim.

This said, it should only be carried out by clean, holy hands, not by another terrorist whose hands are stained with the blood of hundreds of thousands of innocent children, women, and men just recently.

This is the mistake Nigeria has made. Terrorists don’t fight terrorists in truth; they may only kill innocent people and have ulterior motives behind the drama of fighting ‘terror’.

As a principle, no nation should allow its land to be a theater of war. And no nation should allow its neighbors to be their enemies. If Nigeria wants military assistance, China, Turkey, and Pakistan can do the job effectively.

The US involvement in Nigeria will attract the real anti-US forces, making our land the theater of war. The USA’s involvement in Nigeria, citing coming to ‘protect Christians’, will ultimately polarize our nation and infringe on our sovereignty.

Nigeria should halt all military cooperation with the USA immediately because of its imperial tendencies worldwide and seek the help of those neutral countries mentioned. Nigerians are too educated to be played with. This is going to be a 2027 campaign discourse.

Meanwhile, dropping a few bombs here and there cannot tackle the menace of terror; they need serious military on the ground, which, if we are serious, we have enough men to do that. We call on all villages affected to upload videos and pictures of any casualties involved.

The attacks are symbolic of a harbinger neo-Crusade war against Islam. Attack on Sokoto, where 90% are Muslim with no imminent danger of terror, while the real threat is in Maiduguri and on a Christmas Eve, with the claim of protecting against Christian genocide, says a lot. We believe the terror is manufactured and sustained by the same people claiming to fight it. A word is enough for the wise!”

According to Channels Television, “The Nigeria government said President Bola Tinubu gave the go-ahead for the US strikes against terrorists in the country’s North-Western region.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, said this on Friday, hours after the US Department of War and President Donald Trump announced the North American nation had conducted strikes against the terrorists.

“Now that the US is cooperating, we would do it jointly, and we would ensure, just as the President emphasised yesterday before he gave the go-ahead, that it must be made clear that it is a joint operation, and it is not targeting any religion nor simply in the name of one religion or the other,” the minister said on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.

“We are a multi-religious country, and we are working with partners like the US to fight terrorism and safeguard the lives and properties of Nigerians,” the minister said.

Some have viewed the strikes as a violation of the country’s territorial integrity, but Tuggar says the Federal Government would not take any actions that would violate the country’s sovereignty”.

Omoyele Sowore reacted and said “I have read reports that the United States government launched attacks on Nigerian soil on Christmas Day, as announced by Donald Trump and the US Secretary of War, Peter Hegseth, purportedly targeting terrorist groups within Nigeria.

Although the Nigerian government now claims it was aware and describes the operation as a joint effort with vague “international partners,” it is evident that the strikes were carried out without the genuine authority or informed consent of the weaklings masquerading as government under Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

My position remains unchanged. Judging by the nature of the confirmed strike on a village in Sokoto, it is clear that the US President under whose authority this operation occurred neither understands nor genuinely cares about Nigeria or Nigerians.

It is deeply troubling that Nigeria (Africa’s most populous nation) lacks the capable and sovereign leadership required to protect its people and its territory. As a result, the country has been reduced to a bystander while its sovereignty is violated under the direction of US President Donald J Trump. I reiterate: only true, tested, and informed leadership can protect Nigerians—not imperiled, jaundiced neoconservatives operating from Washington, D.C.

Reno Omokri in a statement titled; “Addressing Omoyele Sowore’s Statements on Nigeria’s Sovereignty” said “I am afraid I will have to disagree with Mr Omoyele Sowore, and others like him, who are misinforming the Nigerian public that the recent actions against terrorists are proof that Nigeria lacks sovereignty. Such views are indicative of a lack of awareness of international relations.

Please fact-check me: Larger and older nations than Nigeria, which I would not want to mention out of respect for these countries and their governments, have asked for and received direct international and foreign military assistance/intervention, specifically from the United States, and other countries, when dealing with terrorists operating within their borders, especially when those belligerents are mobile and have embedded themselves so close to innocent civilian populations that it would be difficult to use conventional means against them without harming law-abiding citizens.

While I would not want to identify these nations, journalists and interested members of the public can use Google or other AI tools to help reveal them. It is also wrong for Mr Sowore to call our government and military weak.

For his education, Mr Sowore may want to know that Nigeria has a better military record than most nations, and has decisively brought peace and stabilised several countries, beginning from the Congo in 1960, to Tanzania in 1964, to Lebanon in 1978, and then via ECOMOG in the Mano River region (Liberia, Sierra Leone, etc.) between 1991 and 2006.

Our military has also helped restore democratically elected governments in places like São Tomé and Príncipe and others. When Nigeria’s armed forces intervened in those nations, they did not tamper with or in any way weaken the sovereignty of those countries or their governments. In fact, we were invited either by the countries themselves, the United Nations, or regional bodies.

The Nigerian Armed Forces have a sterling military record as a dependable fighting unit. In fact, due to their superior training, Nigerian military personnel have served as Chiefs of Army Staff in other nations.

However, when you are fighting cowardly terrorists that weave in and out of civilian populations, you need the help of those with precision targeting capabilities. What Mr Sowore and others like him may not be aware of is that no single nation has ever defeated terror on its own. It takes international effort. Mr Sowore has himself admitted receiving funding from multiple US funding agencies. Based on his admission, should that mean he is a foreign puppet, unfit to aspire to leadership in Nigeria? Of course not!

If Omoyele Sowore and others like him have anger over what has happened, please let it be directed at the terrorists and their sponsors, who have killed many Nigerians of all faiths and ethnicities and disrupted communities, while preventing honest and hardworking Nigerians from going about their lawful activities.

Projecting anger at anything that will bring relief and succour to those Nigerians most affected by terror is not patriotic, no matter how much some try to cloak it in such terms. The priority is to protect the lives and properties of Nigerians by any legal and moral means necessary and possible.

If, indeed, people have any influence at all, that sway should not be used to cause dissension and turn some Nigerians against their leaders. Rather, it should be used to get those terrorists to turn a new leaf, drop their weapons, embrace peace, and show fidelity to the Nigerian flag and Constitution. May God bless Nigeria”.

Osazuwa Akonedo

Osazuwa Akonedo is a Nigerian media professional, author, and consultant. His work spans various sectors of communication and literature: Journalism and Media: He is the founder of OsazuwaAkonedo, which focuses on news analysis and commentary. He also provides consultancy services in media and banking. Literature: He is a published playwright and author of Nigerian literature. One of his notable works is the drama titled The End Shall Tell: What Exam Malpractice Can Cause, which addresses educational and social issues in Nigeria. Reporting: He frequently reports on regional news, particularly concerning Edo State and broader Nigerian current affairs. Credit: Google Gemini AI Mode Osazuwa Akonedo is a Nigerian media creator, journalist, and entrepreneur who engages audiences via news reporting, social media content, music, and a mobile application. Professional Background and Company Osazuwa Akonedo is associated with OSAZUWAAKONEDO LIMITED, a company registered in Nigeria that operates in media consultancy and news services  The company is headquartered in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, and has been active in publishing news in various formats including text, audio, video, and photos  Social Media and Online Platforms Osazuwa Akonedo maintains a strong online presence on several platforms: TikTok: Shares news updates and reports, for example, covering police operations in Nigeria  YouTube: Operates a channel where he uploads videos on current affairs and news content  Twitter/X: Active under the handle @akonedo_osazuwa, posting updates on events and news  Facebook: Profiles listing his connection to news and media activities can be found on Facebook  Mobile App: Offers a dedicated mobile application for news access through Google Play (Osazuwa Akonedo News App) providing text, video, and photo news formats  News Reporting and Content He produces news content covering national and local stories, including criminal activities, government updates, and investigative reports   His reporting spans multiple formats, making it accessible to a wide audience through online platforms, mobile apps, and social media  Other Contributions In addition to journalism, Osazuwa Akonedo has also ventured into audio releases, such as “Former Justice Minister Abubakar Malami Begs Nigerians For Justice” released on January 25, 2026   He also hosts podcasts documenting significant events, e.g, NDLEA arrests related to historical criminal cases  Summary Osazuwa Akonedo is a multifaceted media professional engaged in journalism, social media content creation, music, and technology via his news app. He utilizes platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Twitter/X, Facebook, and mobile applications to disseminate news and reach audiences both locally and internationally Credit: Azure AI

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