Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has denied allegations linking him with support for banditry, warning that individuals and media platforms spreading such claims risk legal action.
Gumi, in a statement shared on his Facebook page on Saturday, said he had been consistently misquoted in public discussions on insecurity, particularly by persons he accused of pushing ethnic and sectional interests.
The Kaduna-based cleric maintained that he had never supported, justified or protected banditry in any form, insisting that materials portraying him as sympathetic to criminal groups were manipulated and false.
He said, “I hereby state unequivocally that any video clip, written statement, or message attributed to me, whether directly or by innuendo, suggesting support for banditry in Nigeria or anywhere else does not emanate from me.”
The retired army captain described himself as a loyal citizen committed to the peace and progress of the country, urging the public and government to disregard what he termed fake and doctored materials circulating online.
Gumi further warned that anyone who continued to circulate false claims against him from the date of the statement would face legal consequences.
He also expressed hope that Nigeria would overcome its security challenges and that victims of violence across the country would find comfort through collective efforts to end insecurity.
