Sheikh Gumi reacts to killing of ISIS global second-in-command in Nigeria

Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has reacted to the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second-in-command of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) globally.

Gumi reacted in a post on his Facebook account on Saturday shortly after the announcement by United States President Donald Trump.

He said that while eliminating terrorists is a religious obligation, it should not be carried out in partnership with those whose hands he claimed were stained with blood.

He wrote, “It’s a religious obligation to annihilate terrorists, but not with Beelzebub and hands stained with the blood of innocent men, women, and children.”

The development followed an announcement by Trump, who said U.S. forces, working alongside the Nigerian Armed Forces, carried out a coordinated operation that eliminated Abu-Bilal al-Minuki.

He described the operation as carefully planned and intelligence-driven, noting that it successfully tracked the terrorist leader’s movements across Africa.

According to the U.S. president, al-Minuki played a key role in coordinating attacks and supporting operations targeting Americans and communities across Africa.

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He added that his death would significantly disrupt ISIS operations globally and weaken the group’s influence on the continent.

Trump also praised the Nigerian government and its armed forces for their role in the operation.

In a post on Truth Social, he wrote, “Tonight, at my direction, brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and very complex mission to eliminate the most active terrorist in the world from the battlefield. Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second in command of ISIS globally, thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing.

“He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans. With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished. Thank you to the Government of Nigeria for your partnership on this operation. GOD BLESS AMERICA! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”