Ahmad Gumi, a controversial Islamic cleric, has reacted to the reported killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, said to be the second-in-command of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) worldwide.
Al-Minuki was reportedly killed during a joint operation carried out by American forces in collaboration with the Nigerian military.
Reacting in a Facebook post on Saturday, Gumi described the fight against terrorism and violent extremism as a religious obligation, stressing that criminal elements threatening innocent lives must be confronted.
However, the cleric criticised the involvement of foreign and local forces he accused of having “hands stained with the blood of innocent men, women, and children.”
While acknowledging the need to combat terrorism, Gumi maintained that justice and humanity must not be compromised in the process, warning against actions that could further deepen grievances and instability.
The development has continued to generate reactions amid ongoing military operations against terrorist groups operating within Nigeria and across the Sahel region.
