By Muhammad Mamman
Prominent Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has alleged that certain groups in Nigeria are staging fake Christian killings by burying empty coffins in a bid to stoke religious tensions and tarnish the image of Muslims.
Gumi made the claim while addressing journalists in Kaduna, warning that such deceptive acts could inflame sectarian violence and further divide the country along religious lines.
According to the cleric, these groups have been orchestrating media spectacles by organising burials with empty caskets, purportedly to portray Muslims as aggressors against Christians in regions affected by insecurity.
“Some groups are going as far as burying empty coffins to create the impression that Christians are being slaughtered by Muslims,” Gumi alleged. “These actions are dangerous, misleading, and designed to provoke hatred.”
He urged both Christian and Muslim leaders to work together to expose such falsehoods and focus on peacebuilding, rather than allowing misinformation to fuel hostilities.
The cleric, known for his mediation efforts in conflict zones across northern Nigeria, emphasised that insecurity in the country is driven largely by criminality and socio-economic challenges, not by religion.
“What we have are bandits and criminals, not religious warriors,” Gumi stressed. “It is important for Nigerians to unite against insecurity, instead of falling for propaganda that divides us.”
His comments come amid renewed calls for interfaith harmony and caution over the spread of disinformation through social and traditional media channels, especially in communities already strained by violence.
