FG knows terrorists by name and location – Gumi

Aishah Waliyullah and Grace Adeleke

Controversial Islamic cleric and self-styled banned negotiator, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has courted fresh controversy after claiming that the Nigerian government has detailed information on every terrorist operating in the country, including their names and locations.

The Kaduna cleric made this claim during a television interview, suggesting that authorities are fully aware of the identities and hideouts of armed groups responsible for years of violence in some parts of the country.

According to him, his frequent visits to bandit camps were carried out with the knowledge and presence of security agencies.

“The Nigerian government knows every terrorist by name and location. I don’t go alone. I go with the police, army and other security agents,” Gumi said during the interview.

He added that during one of these visits he had to travel with women to meet a terrorist leader in his camp.

Gumi’s comments, which have since gone viral on social media platform

For several years, the cleric has positioned himself as an informal mediator between authorities and armed bandits operating mainly in the northwest, often claiming access to remote camps hidden in forest areas that security agencies say are difficult to penetrate.

Its latest revelation, however, has raised concerns among critics who say its ability to access bandit enclaves under security escort appears to contradict official claims that locating and neutralizing the groups remains a major operational challenge.

At the time of filing this report, the Presidency, the Federal Ministry of Defense and the Nigerian Army had not yet issued any official response to the allegations.

The silence of the authorities has further fueled the online debate, interpreted by some commentators as a possible indication that the cleric’s claims may not be entirely unfounded.

The development has dominated discussions about X in Nigeria, where many users are calling for clarity from the federal government.

Several commentators also renewed calls for decisive action against terrorist groups, arguing that if security agencies actually had accurate information on their identities and locations, ongoing attacks in some parts of the country should be easier to contain.

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