Prominent Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmed Gumi has dismissed as false viral reports and images circulating on social media that alleged he was arrested by United States military operatives in Nigeria.
The claims followed the circulation of a photograph on Thursday, February 5, which purportedly showed the cleric being detained by U.S. soldiers at an airport. The image spread rapidly online, accompanied by assertions that the alleged arrest was part of a foreign-led counterterrorism operation on Nigerian soil.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday, Gumi described the reports as baseless and illogical, insisting that no such incident occurred.
“The US Army cannot arrest me in Nigeria, why will the US army come and arrest me in Nigeria, for what reason?” he said.
He also rejected the authenticity of the widely shared image, maintaining that it had been digitally manipulated.
“The image is Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated. Even a layman will know that the image is AI,” Gumi said, warning members of the public not to be misled.
Reiterating his position, the cleric stated plainly, “I have not been arrested,” stressing that he remains free and within Nigeria.
The controversial image was circulated alongside text alleging that Gumi had been apprehended by U.S. military personnel at a Nigerian airport while attempting to flee to Turkey. The posts further made unsubstantiated claims linking him to terrorist organisations and their operational bases.
Gumi dismissed the allegations in their entirety, describing them as false and misleading.
