“I Never Said I Was Targeted by U.S. Airstrikes” – Sheikh Gumi

Kaduna-based Islamic cleric Ahmad Gumi has denied online claims that he was marked for elimination during recent U.S. airstrikes on terrorist positions in Sokoto State.

In an exclusive interview with *Leadership*, Gumi said a viral video circulating on social media was old and taken out of context. He clarified that the footage referred to a 2012 threat to his life by Boko Haram, not to any current foreign military operation.

“There is fake news going viral now that wrongly claims I said I was targeted by the U.S. attack on Nigerian soil,” he said. “I never said so, and I never imagined such a thing.”

Gumi added that he currently lives peacefully with his family and is not under threat. Recalling the 2012 incident, he said two individuals sent to harm him died when an explosive detonated prematurely near his residence.

He urged media organizations that shared the reports to retract them and issue apologies, stressing that his remarks had been misinterpreted. “What I spoke about was something that happened years ago, not now. My life is not in danger,” Gumi said, reaffirming his commitment to peace and cautioning against misinformation that could inflame public tension.