A video showing Nigerian military and police personnel warmly greeting and saluting prominent Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi has gone massively viral on social media, triggering heated debates across the country.…....
In the clip, which began circulating widely on May 21, 2026, officers in uniform are seen exchanging pleasantries with the 65-year-old cleric. One high-ranking Navy officer, believed to be a Commodore, is shown bending low — with some describing it as kneeling — to speak closely with Gumi during what appears to be a public event.
Soldiers and police officers are also visible saluting and shaking hands with him.
The video has divided Nigerians. While some view the gestures as simple respect for an elder and religious leader, others have expressed shock and anger, questioning why security officers would show such deference to a man widely accused of sympathizing with bandits and terrorists operating in the North West.
Sheikh Ahmad Gumi is a well-known Kaduna-based cleric, Islamic scholar, and former Captain in the Nigerian Army. He comes from a prominent family — his late father was a respected Grand Khadi (Islamic judge) in the old Northern Region. Gumi has gained national attention over the years for his advocacy of dialogue and amnesty for bandits, whom he often refers to as “our own” and frames as products of government neglect and marginalization.
He has frequently claimed that the Nigerian government knows the identities and locations of major terrorist and bandit leaders. Gumi has said publicly that he never visits these groups alone but is usually accompanied by police, military, and other security operatives during negotiations.
His critics, however, accuse him of being too soft on criminals responsible for thousands of deaths, kidnappings, and displacements in states like Kaduna, Zamfara, and Sokoto. Past comments suggesting non-Muslim soldiers were targeting certain groups drew sharp rebukes from the Nigerian Army and Christian leaders.
Social media has been flooded with mixed reactions:Many users expressed disappointment, with some calling it “embarrassing” for the military to be seen saluting someone they perceive as a “terrorists’ representative.”
Others defended the officers, noting Gumi’s military background and arguing that respecting an elder, especially one with his credentials, is part of Nigerian and Islamic culture.
Supporters of Gumi argue he is a peace advocate trying to end bloodshed through dialogue when military solutions have failed.
