“US Intelligence Is Not Stupid,” Gumi Responds to Shehu Sani Over Report of Igbo Man Misleading Trump Administration on Christian Genocide

Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has accused the United States of using Nigeria to advance its interests, following claims that a report on Christian genocide in the country was misleading.

Gumi’s remarks came in response to former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani, who criticized a New York Times report suggesting that the story of mass Christian killings in Nigeria was based on a single source: Emeka, a screwdriver trader from Onitsha and operator of a small NGO. According to the report, Emeka allegedly claimed to have documented “125,000 Christian deaths” using internet searches.

In a post on X, Sani described the situation as “tragic” and questioned how such unverified information could influence U.S. lawmakers, the President, and intelligence agencies, ultimately leading to military action. “How such an unverified claim could tense up the US lawmakers, President, and the intelligence community, that led to airstrikes is one of the most foolish and comical historical events in our lifetime. This is shameful,” he wrote.

Reacting on Facebook, Gumi emphasized that U.S. intelligence agencies were fully aware of the situation but allowed the Nigerian narrative to serve their purposes. “US intelligence is not stupid. They know everything, but wanted a Nigerian cover for their interest,” he stated.

The initial report on Christian killings reportedly influenced President Donald Trump to authorize military airstrikes in Sokoto State.