Controversial Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Mahmud Gumi has sparked debate with a recent claim that the alleged presence of Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad, in Nigeria is a clandestine plot to assassinate Muslim leaders.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Gumi drew a parallel between the current situation and the death of former military Head of State, General Sani Abacha. The cleric alleged that Abacha was poisoned on the very night he hosted the late Palestinian leader, Yasir Arafat, in Abuja.
“Mossad in Abuja!? One should expect the clandestine murder of Muslim leaders in Nigeria soon,” Gumi wrote. “How can this genocidal apartheid government have a footing in Nigeria? President Tinubu is ill-advised because it will cost him a lot more than he may gain.”
Gumi’s statements have generated significant discussion online and within political circles, though they have not been independently verified.
The cleric’s comments coincide with a separate, unrelated incident involving a Nigerian citizen in Saudi Arabia. Maryam Hussaini-Abdullahi, a woman from Kano, was arrested and detained by Saudi authorities after a bag containing marijuana was allegedly mismatched with her luggage by Ethiopian Airlines.
According to her husband, Abdullahi Baffa, the couple was traveling for a lesser Hajj pilgrimage when their luggage went missing upon arrival in Jeddah. After reporting the issue, Baffa said he was later informed that one of the bags had been located. However, when the couple was preparing for their return flight, they discovered that Maryam was restricted from traveling.
Upon investigation with the help of the Nigerian Consulate in Madinah, it was revealed that Mrs. Abdullahi’s name was linked to a bag containing “suspicious items.” While security operatives noted that the luggage tag numbers did not match the ones issued to the couple by the airline, they proceeded to detain her for further investigation.
“The police attached her pictures to the bag, but luckily the number on the bag was different from the one issued to us by the airline. But they insisted on detaining [her] pending further investigations,” Baffa stated, insisting on his wife’s innocence. He reported that his wife was shown a “Ghana-must-go sack containing wrapped items” that were completely unknown to them.
The two events, while distinct, have added to the complex conversations surrounding international relations and citizen safety. While Gumi’s claims are centered on political and intelligence matters, the Hussaini-Abdullahi case highlights the vulnerability of travelers to logistical errors and security concerns while abroad.
