Kaduna-based Islamic scholar, Abubakar Gumi, has alleged that the Nigerian government is aware of the identities and locations of terrorists operating across the country.

Gumi made the claim during a recent interview with DRTV, which began trending yesterday.

This was as Israel renewed its allegations that Iran sponsors terrorism globally, including in Nigeria, amid an ongoing diplomatic row between the two countries over security claims and counter-claims.

But Iranian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mahdavi Raja, expressed his country’s preparedness for war against the United States (U.S.) and Israel.

Gumi was reacting to accusations that he knows and regularly interacts with terrorists and bandits responsible for insecurity in parts of Nigeria, and that he often speaks on their behalf.

Responding to the claims, the Islamic scholar said his contacts with the armed groups were not conducted alone, insisting that security agencies were involved.

“The government knows every terrorist by name and by location. I don’t go alone to negotiate; I go with the police and other security agencies,” he said.

Gumi further stated that some engagements involved visits to traditional rulers and trips into forests believed to be hideouts for bandits.

“I would go to the Emirs. In fact, when we went to one forest, I even went with women into the bush,” he added.

The cleric had taken part in controversial dialogue initiatives with armed groups in northern Nigeria, maintaining that negotiation could help reduce violence and persuade fighters to lay down their arms.
MEANWHILE, in a statement yesterday, Israel’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, said Iran’s record on terrorism was well documented and could not be dismissed by public denials.

The statement followed recent comments by Iran’s envoy to Nigeria, Raja, who appeared on Arise Television on March 8, to reject accusations that Tehran sponsors extremist activities in Nigeria and across West Africa.

Responding to the denial, Freeman insisted that Iran had for decades been widely identified as a major state sponsor of militant groups across different regions of the world.

“For decades, Iran has been widely identified as the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, providing funding, weapons, training and strategic direction to terrorist organisations such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis,” the Israeli envoy said.

He further argued that activities linked to Tehran had not been limited to the Middle East but extended to other parts of the world.

“Iranian-backed operatives and networks have been linked to attacks and plots across the globe, from Argentina and Bulgaria to Australia and the United Kingdom,” Freeman said.

The ambassador also referenced the October 7 attacks by Hamas against Israeli civilians, alleging that Iranian leaders publicly praised the assault and encouraged further violence against Israel.

Freeman noted that Nigeria had also recorded incidents allegedly connected to Iranian-linked operations.

According to him, Nigerian authorities intercepted a shipment of Iranian weapons in 2010 at the Apapa Port in Lagos, which he claimed was concealed in cargo containers and allegedly destined for armed groups operating in West Africa. He also cited a 2013 security operation in which Nigerian authorities reportedly uncovered a weapons cache and arrested individuals linked to the Lebanese militant group, Hezbollah, in Abuja and Kano.

Commenting further, Freeman said Iran’s denials could not erase what he described as documented evidence of its activities.

He also alleged that Iran supported the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), noting that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had met with the group’s leader, Ibrahim Zakzaky, and praised him for his activism.

DURING an interview on Trust TV, yesterday, Raja, while reacting to the ongoing hostility between Iran and U.S., stated: “Iran is prepared for this war, and we have the capabilities to respond to any kind of aggression. We have shown resistance to the U.S. and Israel for more than one week now, and we are capable of defending ourselves, our people and our country to protect our sovereignty.”

The war started in late February when the U.S. and Israel hit Iran with airstrikes, resulting in the death of its Supreme Leader and other top government officials.

Iran said it is not seeking a ceasefire anymore as the U.S.-Israeli war continues to throw the region into chaos, Iranian Parliament Speaker, Mohammed Ghalibaf, vowed yesterday.

“We are definitely not looking for a ceasefire; we believe that the aggressor should be punched in the mouth so that he learns a lesson so that he will never think of attacking our beloved Iran again,” Ghalibaf said.