Dare Babalola
Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has reacted to the reported killing of a top ISIS commander in Nigeria, saying the fight against terrorism remains a religious obligation but must not come at the expense of innocent lives.
Gumi made the remarks in a Facebook post on Saturday while reacting to the announcement of a joint military operation allegedly carried out by American and Nigerian forces against ISIS leader Abu-Bilal al-Minuki.
“It’s a religious obligation to annihilate terrorists, but not with Beelzebub and hands stained with the blood of innocent men, women, and children,” the cleric wrote.
The reaction followed a statement by the United States President, Donald Trump, who claimed that American forces worked alongside the Nigerian Armed Forces to eliminate Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second-in-command of ISIS globally.
According to Trump, the operation was carried out through what he called a “meticulously planned and very complex mission.”
“Tonight, at my direction, brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and very complex mission to eliminate the most active terrorist in the world from the battlefield,” Trump said.
He added that the ISIS leader believed he could evade capture by hiding in Africa but was tracked through intelligence sources.
“He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans. With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished,” Trump stated, while also thanking the Nigerian government for its partnership in the operation.
The development has continued to generate reactions across social media, with supporters describing it as a major breakthrough in the fight against terrorism, while critics raised concerns over the humanitarian implications of military offensives in conflict areas.
Nigeria has battled insurgency linked to extremist groups, including ISIS-affiliated factions, particularly in the North-East region, for over a decade.
