Islamic cleric Ahmad Gumi has reacted to reports that he may be among several Nigerian officials and religious leaders targeted for sanctions by the United States government over alleged promotion of blasphemy laws and tolerance of religious violence in northern Nigeria.
Speaking from Turkey on Tuesday, Cleric Gumi said he had not received any official communication but would not be surprised if his name was included.
“Well, I didn’t even know they mentioned my name. I haven’t seen it in the papers, and no one communicated it to me. But it’s not surprising; anyone who speaks against cutting ties with America, of course they wouldn’t like him. May God protect us,” he said.
Earlier in a Facebook live video, Gumi described the reported sanctions as a distraction and urged Nigerians to promote religious harmony.
“Let us live in peace. If we live peacefully, the evil plans of the West will not succeed against us,” he said.
“Do not worry about their noise. Allah will not grant them victory. We must hold firmly to our religion and fear Allah. It is not by killing Christians or insulting them; they are our partners in nation-building.”
Filming from the Haifa Mosque in Sofia, Turkey, Gumi said the mosque’s history as a converted church was a lesson in coexistence.
“This mosque used to be a church, but today it stands as a symbol of peace and coexistence, not war. That is what good relationship brings,” he said.
Reports indicate that a bill before the U.S. Congress seeks to sanction certain northern governors, judges, traditional rulers and clerics accused of promoting or enforcing blasphemy laws and enabling religious violence.
The proposed law mandates the U.S. Secretary of State to submit a list of Nigerian officials who may face visa bans, asset freezes and other restrictions under Executive Order 13818, part of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability framework.
The bill identifies 12 northern states where Sharia law has been expanded since 1999, Zamfara, Kano, Sokoto, Katsina, Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Kebbi, Yobe, Kaduna, Niger and Gombe and accuses certain officials of fostering impunity and discrimination against minority religious groups.
None of the 12 governors had commented on the proposed sanctions as of Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Gumi has also denied claims that he fled Nigeria after a statement by former U.S. President Donald Trump alleging Christian genocide in Nigeria.
Following the circulation of his photos from Turkey, some social media users claimed the cleric had left Nigeria to avoid being targeted.
Responding, Gumi said his trip was planned before Trump’s comments.
“I got my Turkish visa on the 16th of October 2025, and Trump’s irresponsible tweet lying about ‘Christian genocide’ in Nigeria was on the 1st of November 2025,” he wrote on Facebook.
“Yet, because of melancholy, they concoct lies and believe them. Trump has no power over us; it’s just your sick mind bowing down to him in worship.”
He also said Trump’s statements were part of a plan to discredit Sharia law and promote Islamophobia.
“After the fog has cleared, the alleged ‘Christian genocide’ in Nigeria is all about a well-drawn-out plan to attack the Shariah law,” he wrote.
Ahmad Gumi further claimed that some groups were staging fake mass killings to promote the narrative of a Christian genocide.
“A doctor wrote me that some Middle Belt Christian groups are now staging fake mass killings. They are burying empty coffins and recording the process as if real victims were killed, just to push the narrative of a Christian genocide,” he wrote.
He urged Nigerians not to believe such claims, adding, “Trump lied before that Israel attacked Iran unilaterally. These people are dangerously deceptive. Continue to trust them at your own peril.”
