“If Gumi Can Speak Freely, So Can Dachomo” — Social Media User Sparks Debate on Religious Free Speech in Nigeria.
A fresh wave of controversy has hit Nigeria’s religious circle following a viral video where Reverend Ezekiel Dachomo, a cleric and activist from Plateau State, reportedly referred to Allah as a “blood-sucking demon.” But instead of the usual one-sided condemnation, many social media users are now asking a difficult question: why is nobody talking about Sheikh Gumi?
The video, which circulated widely on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, shows Dachomo speaking harshly against the Islamic faith. According to him, followers of Islam chant “Allahu Akbar” before carrying out attacks on innocent Christians. His words have since drawn sharp reactions from Muslims across the country, with some calling it a great injustice and provocation against their faith.
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However, one social media user, Nyiyongo, has taken a different position. In a post that has since gone viral, Nyiyongo said he initially wanted to attack Dachomo for his comments but changed his mind after remembering the case of Sheikh Ahmad Gumi.
“I wanted to drop a heavy bombshell against Reverend Ezekiel Dachomo regarding his viral video then the thought of Sheikh Gumi who has been releasing inflammatory and provocative statements for over a decade crossed my mind and I shelved off the idea,” Nyiyongo wrote.
“Though I don’t support Rev Dachomo but I must say that if Sheikh Gumi is free to say anything he wants without restraints, Dachomo is also free to do so and nothing will happen.”
Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, a Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, has been at the center of controversy for years. He has repeatedly made statements that many see as sympathetic to bandits operating in the North-West. On several occasions, he has called for amnesty for terrorists and even held meetings with them in their hideouts.
Despite these actions, Gumi has never been arrested or invited for questioning by the government. Human rights groups, including the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) and the Campaign for Democracy, have repeatedly called for his arrest, accusing him of supporting terrorism and making inflammatory statements that threaten national security .
Just last December, the Campaign for Democracy asked President Bola Tinubu to order Gumi’s arrest, warning that his continued freedom to speak without restraint could worsen the country’s insecurity problems .
But nothing happened.
This is not the first time Nigerians are complaining about what they see as selective justice when it comes to religious figures.
In 2023, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Adamawa State accused the government of shielding Gumi because of his religious background. The CAN chairman, Rev. Dr. Stephen Dami Mamza, pointed out that while Nnamdi Kanu of IPOB remains in detention, Gumi walks free despite making statements that many consider more divisive .
“If the statements made by Gumi were made by someone else, the person would have been arrested long time ago and put to jail,” Mamza said at the time .
Meanwhile, reactions to Dachomo’s video have been pouring in. Bashir Ahmad, a former aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, described the pastor’s comment as a great injustice and the highest form of provocation against Muslims worldwide .
Another user, Daniel Regha, pointed out that while Dachomo’s words were offensive, it is also true that bandits chant “Allahu Akbar” before attacking their victims, regardless of who or where the incident occurs.
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But some have come to Dachomo’s defense. Lekan Olayinka, a career coach, argued that those attacking the pastor have not experienced the kind of horrors that Christian families in some parts of Nigeria have faced. He said many families have lost loved ones to attackers who scream “Allahu Akbar” while wielding machetes.
The debate raises an important question: where does free speech end and incitement begin in a multi-religious country like Nigeria?
Nigeria has a long and painful history with religious comments. In 2022, Deborah Samuel, a female college student in Sokoto, was stoned and burned to death by her classmates over allegations of blasphemy . Just last year, a female food vendor was lynched in Niger State over similar accusations .
These incidents show that words, whether spoken by a pastor or an imam, can have deadly consequences.
Yet, as Nyiyongo and many others are now asking, if one man can repeatedly make statements that many see as supportive of terrorism and nothing happens to him, why should another man be treated differently?
No Official Reaction Yet
As of the time of filing this report, neither the police nor any government agency has commented on Dachomo’s video or the comparisons being made with Gumi. Security agencies have remained silent on both cases, leaving many Nigerians to wonder if the government has any policy at all when it comes to religious statements.
For now, the debate continues online, with many sharing Nyiyongo’s post and asking the same question: if Gumi can say anything without consequences, why can’t Dachomo?
“If Gumi Can Speak Freely, So Can Dachomo” — Social Media User Sparks Debate on Religious Free Speech in Nigeria.
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