"They Know Them All" – Sheikh Gumi Claims Government Has Full Data on Terrorists

Controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has claimed that the Nigerian government possesses comprehensive intelligence on every terrorist operating within the country. Speaking on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, Gumi claimed that the identities, names, and exact locations of these insurgents are no secret to the authorities, questioning why the insecurity persists despite this purported knowledge.

Gumi, who has previously acted as a self-appointed mediator between the government and bandit groups in the North, argued that the technological and intelligence capabilities of the state are more than sufficient to track down these elements. He suggested that the continued activities of terrorists indicate a lack of political will or a preference for "kinetic approaches" over sustainable engagement and social intervention. According to the cleric, "nobody can hide in the bush" without the state being aware of their movements in this digital age.

His critics, however, have often accused him of being too sympathetic to the bandits, suggesting that his claims may be an attempt to shift the entire burden of the crisis onto the military and political leadership while downplaying the criminal agency of the insurgents themselves.

The federal government has yet to issue an official rebuttal to Gumi’s latest claims, but security experts have pointed out that "knowing" a location in vast, rugged terrains like the Sambisa Forest or the forests of the Northwest is vastly different from being able to execute a successful tactical raid without collateral damage.

Do you believe the government has enough intelligence to end terrorism but lacks the will, or is Sheikh Gumi overestimating the state's tracking capabilities? Share your comments below!

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