Sheikh Gumi Responds to Trump’s Remarks on Religious Killings in Nigeria

Renowned Islamic scholar, Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Abubakar Gumi, has urged for balanced reporting on the ongoing conflicts in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region, following comments by U.S. President Donald Trump alleging that Christians are facing “genocide” by Muslims in the country.

Speaking in an interview on News Central TV, Sheikh Gumi rejected the claim that the crisis is one-sided, describing it as a complex conflict with casualties on both sides.

“I think we Muslims, what we need to do now is to bring out to the public the names of those who were killed and massacred in the Middle Belt region,” he said. “It is two people fighting; it is a case of two-sided fight, both sides having casualty. I wonder if Muslims are killing Christians, I don’t know if there will be any Christians left to be talking to you on TV.”

The cleric emphasized the need for transparency and documentation to correct what he described as misconceptions about the conflict. He also appealed to religious and community leaders to work collaboratively to promote peace and understanding, warning that politicizing or internationalizing the issue could threaten Nigeria’s unity.