Renowned Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has dismissed a viral report claiming he was targeted during an alleged United States military attack on Nigerian soil as fake.
In a statement on his verified Facebook page, the cleric clarified that he never made such a claim and had never entertained the idea.
“There is fake news going viral now that wrongly claims that I said I was targeted by the US attack on Nigerian soil, or something to that effect,” he said.
Firmly refuting the report, Sheikh Gumi added: “I never said so, and I also never thought of such a possibility. I am comfortably staying in my home with my family without fear, intimidation, or apprehension.”
He explained that the confusion may have stemmed from a lecture he delivered at a mosque, during which he narrated a past security incident involving the Boko Haram insurgent group.
“I believe the source of misinterpretation was a lecture I gave in the mosque on how, in August 2012, I was told that Boko Haram had targeted me for elimination,” he stated.
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According to Sheikh Gumi, the planned attack failed after the assailants were killed by their own explosive device.
“The two people who came to execute the plan were killed instantly when the bomb detonated in their hands near my house,” he said.
He urged media organisations that carried the report to correct the misinformation.
“I advise all news agencies that reported the fake news to publicly retract it and tender their apologies,” he added.
