Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmed Gumi, has dismissed viral claims suggesting that he was arrested by United States military personnel at a Nigerian airport, describing the reports and accompanying image as false and misleading.
The claims surfaced on Thursday, February 5, after an image circulated widely on social media purporting to show Gumi being apprehended by U.S. troops. The image was shared alongside narratives alleging that the arrest was part of an international counterterrorism operation and that the cleric was attempting to flee Nigeria to Turkey.
Reacting to the reports in a phone interview with SaharaReporters on Thursday, Gumi categorically denied ever being arrested and questioned the plausibility of the claims.
“The U.S. Army cannot arrest me in Nigeria. Why will the U.S. Army come and arrest me in Nigeria, and for what reason?” he said.
Gumi also challenged the authenticity of the viral image, stating that it was fabricated using artificial intelligence.
“The image is Artificial Intelligence–generated. Even a layman will know that the image is AI,” he said, urging the public not to take the circulating visuals seriously.
He concluded by firmly reiterating his position: “I have not been arrested.”
The viral post alleged that Gumi had been apprehended by U.S. military personnel at a Nigerian airport while attempting to leave the country, citing unproven claims linking him to terrorist groups and their operational camps.
Sheikh Gumi, a prominent Islamic cleric, has long been a subject of public controversy due to his interactions with armed bandit groups in northern Nigeria. In 2021, he drew national attention after holding meetings with bandit leaders in the North-West as part of efforts to negotiate the release of kidnapped victims in Kaduna, Zamfara, and other states.
While some of those engagements reportedly led to the release of captives and earned him praise from affected families, critics within civil society and the security community have argued that such contacts could amount to legitimising or emboldening criminal groups.
Despite repeated calls by some groups for his prosecution, as of 2026, Gumi has not been charged with any terrorism-related offence by Nigerian authorities. His supporters maintain that his interventions saved lives, while critics insist that engaging armed groups without formal legal oversight undermines national security efforts.