Rev. Nick Donnelly, a UK-based Catholic cleric, has called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue an arrest warrant for prominent Nigerian Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, accusing him of making extremist and inflammatory statements.
Donnelly made the appeal on Monday through a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account, following Gumi’s recent comments in which he dismissed reports of Christian genocide in Nigeria.
In another viral video, Gumi was quoted as saying: “Herdsmen are not like the Indigenous People of Biafra; they are kidnapping children to make money. Let’s be fair with them.”
Reacting to the statement, Donnelly alleged that Gumi supports criminal activities carried out by armed herders and should therefore face international prosecution.
“Gumi supports ‘herdsmen’, aka Islamist terrorists, kidnapping children to make money. The ICC needs to issue an arrest warrant on charges of crimes against humanity. Gumi needs to stand trial in The Hague,” Donnelly wrote.
The cleric’s comments come amid renewed calls for Gumi’s prosecution, particularly after the recent sentencing of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu to life imprisonment on terrorism charges.
Legal practitioner Malcolm Omirhobo also criticised what he described as a “two-tier justice system” in Nigeria; one that severely punishes certain individuals while shielding others who, he claimed, openly make statements capable of inciting violence or aiding criminal actors.
Sheikh Gumi, a frequent commentator on Nigeria’s security crisis, has long been a controversial figure due to his interactions with armed groups and his public commentary on banditry and terrorism in the country. His recent remarks have further intensified debates around accountability, national security, and selective prosecution.
As public pressure mounts, it remains unclear whether Nigerian authorities or the ICC will take action regarding the latest calls for Gumi’s arrest.
