A former South-East spokesman to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Mr Denge Josef Onoh, has criticised Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi over his remarks praising Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warning that such comments risk radicalising Nigerian youths and deepening religious divisions.

Onoh, who also chairs the Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly, said he disagreed with Gumi’s statement on Sunday in which the cleric described Khamenei as a leader who “stood firmly for justice” and would inspire change across the Muslim world.

Responding in a statement, Onoh said the late Iranian leader was not worthy of emulation, accusing him of authoritarianism and involvement in mass killings in Iran and other parts of the Middle East.

He described Gumi’s remarks as “not only factually false, but extremely reckless at the world’s critical moment”.

Onoh said, “Ayatollah Ali Khamenei did not stand for justice as he presided over one of the most brutal authoritarian regimes of the time.”

He said his position was based on “verified list of atrocities Khamenei committed under his direct leadership, drawn from reports by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the United Nations, and credible documentation.”

Onoh questioned why Gumi allegedly ignored reports that Khamenei supervised the killing of more than 36,500 protesters during the December 2025–January 2026 nationwide uprising in Iran, which he described as the deadliest crackdown in the country’s history.

He added that Khamenei “personally gave the order for lethal force, with IRGC commanders citing his January 9 speech as authorisation for a ‘victory through terror’ campaign.”

He also referenced the suppression of the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests following the death of Mahsa Amini, stating that security forces killed hundreds of unarmed citizens, including children, and arrested thousands.

Onoh further alleged that Iran under Khamenei operated a “world-leading execution machine”.

“Iran under Khamenei consistently ranked among the top global executioners, hanging hundreds every year, including juveniles, political prisoners, and ethnic minorities, often after torture and sham trials in Revolutionary Courts,” he said.

He also accused Khamenei’s government of persecuting the Baha’i community and sponsoring militant groups across the Middle East.

“These are not Western propaganda. They are documented facts accepted by every major international human rights body. Sheikh Gumi ought to know that this is not the time for romantic martyrdom poetry. Iran has just lost its Supreme Leader in military strikes. Tehran has vowed revenge. The region is on edge,” Onoh said.

He warned that such statements could have dangerous implications for Nigeria.

“In Nigeria — a multi-religious nation already battling banditry, kidnapping and lingering insurgency — statements that glorify a proven sponsor of terrorism and mass murderer risk doing two dangerous things — radicalising impressionable young Muslims who may see Khamenei as a hero instead of a tyrant who oppressed his own people; deepening religious fault lines at home when we should be promoting unity and peace,” he said.

Onoh said Gumi’s influence in northern Nigeria made his words particularly significant and urged him to exercise caution.

“Sheikh Gumi’s words carry weight in the North and he must use that weight for truth, not for importing foreign conflicts or turning a dictator into a saint,” he said.

He added, “The blood of Iranian women, children, Baha’is, Sunnis, Christians and dissidents cry out for justice — not celebration.”

Onoh also rejected suggestions that Khamenei’s death would inspire positive change through revenge.

“Khamenei’s death will not ‘fuel change in the Ummah’ through vengeance. Real change comes when Muslims and Christians alike reject tyranny in all its forms — whether in Tehran, Kabul or anywhere else,” he said.

He noted that the administration of President Tinubu was strengthening Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts through partnerships with the United States, including the Nigeria-US Joint Working Group on Counterterrorism, deployment of about 100 US military advisers for intelligence-sharing and training, and precision airstrikes targeting Boko Haram and ISWAP.

Onoh said ongoing programmes such as the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership, International Military Education and Training, and the delivery of A-29 Super Tucano aircraft and AH-1Z helicopters were designed to support Nigerian-led operations against terrorism.

He urged the cleric to prioritise truth and unity.

“I urge you, in the name of the same God we both fear, to choose truth over propaganda. The blood of the innocent should shame us, not inspire us to more division,” Onoh said.