Sheikh Gumi: Attack on Kastina mosque symptom of nation in crisis

Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, one of Nigeria’s most influential Islamic clerics, has denounced the brutal attack on a mosque in Katsina State, calling it a heartbreaking symptom of a nation in crisis.

The attack which claimed multiple lives and left others wounded has once again cast a harsh spotlight on Nigeria’s deepening security woes. No fewer than 40 worshippers were said to have lost their lives in the early morning attack.

In a statement posted to his official X account, Gumi described the massacre not just as an act of terror but as a sobering signal that Nigeria must confront its longstanding internal fractures.

“This should be a wake-up call,” he wrote. “The blood of innocent people continues to flow while we pretend all is well. How many more lives must we lose before we truly reflect?”

For Gumi, the attack is part of a broader national failure. Despite spending trillions on defence, peace remains elusive, and countless communities live in fear.

He emphasised that many of the violent clashes—such as the ongoing herder-farmer conflict—have grown more complex, often pitting Muslims against Muslims in what he described as senseless bloodshed.

He challenged both the government and society at large to move beyond military solutions. “We need dialogue, not just drones. What we face cannot be solved by bullets alone,” Gumi warned.

Calling for a national, inclusive dialogue, he proposed a forum where all grievances—economic, ethnic, and religious—could be heard and addressed.

He also advocated for compensating victims and reintegrating both armed bandits and vigilante groups through education and economic support.

“Enough is enough,” he declared. “We must talk. We must heal. And we must include everyone—especially those who have been left behind.”

Gumi acknowledged that many who now take up arms once suffered in silence, forgotten in remote communities with no access to opportunity. Their radicalization, he argued, is often the result of marginalization, not ideology.

As Nigeria continues to reel from waves of terror, communal strife, and displacement, Gumi’s message resonates with a growing chorus of voices calling for a new path—one rooted not in force, but in justice, understanding, and national reconciliation.