Sheikh Gumi Reacts to Killing of ISIS Commander Al-Minuki

Sheikh Gumi Reacts to Killing of ISIS Commander Al-Minuki

Prominent Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has reacted to the reported killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as a senior commander of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), during a joint counterterrorism operation involving American forces and the Nigerian military.

Gumi, in a Facebook post on Saturday, stated that combating terrorism remains a religious obligation but criticised collaboration with individuals he claimed had “hands stained with the blood of innocent men, women, and children.”

“It’s a religious obligation to annihilate terrorists, but not with Beelzebub and hands stained with the blood of innocent men, women, and children,” the cleric wrote.

Although Gumi did not directly mention specific countries or military actors in his statement, his comments appeared to reference the joint operation announced by former United States President Donald Trump.

Trump had disclosed via his Truth Social platform that American forces, working alongside the Nigerian Armed Forces, successfully carried out an operation that eliminated al-Minuki after months of intelligence gathering and coordinated surveillance.

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According to Trump, the ISIS commander was among the most active extremist figures operating in Africa and was allegedly involved in coordinating attacks against Americans and African communities.

The former US president claimed the operation would significantly weaken ISIS activities globally and reduce the terror group’s influence across parts of Africa.

He also commended the Nigerian government and military authorities for their cooperation and intelligence-sharing during the mission.

The development comes amid renewed global attention on extremist activities linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and other terror networks operating across the Sahel and Lake Chad regions.

Nigeria’s Presidency had earlier confirmed al-Minuki’s death, describing it as a major breakthrough in ongoing counterterrorism efforts.

However, the Presidency later admitted that security agencies had mistakenly declared the terrorist commander dead in 2024 during earlier military operations in Kaduna State.

Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga explained that the earlier report resulted from mistaken identity during complex counterinsurgency operations.

According to the Presidency, the latest operation involved extensive Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) activities, including digital tracking, communications interception and human intelligence gathering conducted over several months.

Security sources disclosed that authorities initially intended to capture al-Minuki alive before the operation eventually turned into a lethal mission.

Counterterrorism analysts have described the killing as a potentially significant blow to ISIS-linked operations in West Africa, though experts warned that extremist groups often reorganise quickly after losing top commanders.

Gumi’s reaction has generated mixed responses online, with some Nigerians agreeing with his concerns over foreign military involvement, while others argued that international cooperation remains necessary in the fight against terrorism.

The Islamic cleric has previously advocated dialogue, reconciliation and non-kinetic approaches to addressing insecurity in northern Nigeria, positions that have frequently generated public debate and criticism.

Meanwhile, Nigerian security agencies continue intensified operations against insurgent groups across Borno, Yobe and parts of the North-West amid ongoing efforts to contain terrorism, banditry and kidnappings.

Sheikh Gumi Reacts to Killing of ISIS Commander Al-Minuki