Controversial Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmed Gumi has denied viral reports and images circulating on social media that claim he was arrested by United States military operatives in Nigeria.
The speculation followed the circulation of a photograph on Thursday purportedly showing Gumi being detained by U.S. soldiers at an airport, with accompanying claims framing the alleged arrest as part of a foreign-led counterterrorism operation.
Addressing the reports on Thursday, Gumi dismissed the claims as false and illogical. “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 image, insisting it had been digitally fabricated.
“The image is AI-generated. Even a layman will know that the image is AI,” Gumi said, stressing that it was misleading and should not be believed. The cleric reiterated that he had not been arrested and remains at liberty in Nigeria, describing the reports as entirely untrue.
The controversial image was widely shared online alongside claims that Gumi had been detained at a Nigerian airport while allegedly attempting to flee to Turkey, citing unverified accusations linking him to terrorist organisations.