No evidence ICC arrested Sheikh Gumi

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Claim: A viral claim circulating on social media alleges that the United States and the International Criminal Court (ICC) have arrested controversial Nigerian cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi.

Verdict: False. There is no credible evidence to support the claim that the US and ICC arrested Gumi.

Full Text

On Dec. 24, 2025, some social media pages here and here circulated a viral video with the claim that Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, a prominent Nigerian Islamic cleric, had been arrested by the United States and the International Criminal Court (ICC). The video was also shared on WhatsApp with the caption, “BREAKING: Sheikh Gumi Arrested by US, ICC As Nigerians Celebrate Worldwide.”

Sheikh Ahmad Gumi is a prominent Nigerian Islamic cleric and mediator, widely known for his controversial statements on security issues and his involvement in negotiating with bandits in parts of Northern Nigeria. His interventions and comments on banditry have often generated public debate and criticism.

Some comments on the post show that users believed the claim. Emmanuel Giwa-Ojo wrote, “Let him be prosecuted for his criminalities and wickedness against Nigerian Christians.”

Donatus Mbaogu commented, “Good move, good news. May God bless the US, who He is using to reshape, reposition, and save souls. Left for Nigeria, nothing will be done, and nothing will happen.”

Another user, Fanifosi Emmanuel, added, “Good move to end terrorism in our great nation (NIGERIA)” while Saheed Alabi wrote, “Prayers finally being answered, God, I glorify your name!”

On the contrary, some users questioned the authenticity of the claim. Barry Tanen asked, “When and where was he arrested?” while Kupoluyi Olatunde commented, “I pray that this will be a true story.”

We observed that this claim was also being circulated on WhatsApp.

DUBAWA decided to fact-check the claim due to its widespread circulation across platforms, and the comments suggest that the majority believed it. Additionally, Gumi’s arrest could spark a crisis.

Verification

We analysed the attached video and discovered that multiple clips were combined into a single sequence. The first segment, from 0:00 to 1:40, was taken from a video Gumi posted on his Facebook page, which shows his presence at a summit at the University of Ibadan on Nov. 19, 2025. The summit, which focused on confronting economic and security challenges in Nigeria, brought together southern Muslim scholars (Ulamah). It was tagged the Southwest Muslims Ulama Summit or the Ibadan Southern Ulamah Summit.

The second part of the video, from 1:40 to 3:13, depicts a chaotic situation in Nasarawa State. The video was taken during an alleged herdsmen invasion of a crusade ground, though the police later claimed it was a robbery attack.

We checked the ICC’s official list of defendants and warrants, which was updated in late 2025. This list does not mention Sheikh Ahmad Gumi or any other Nigerian cleric linked to banditry or related charges. Searches of official social media handles of the US State Department and the ICC, as of Dec. 28, 2025, show no record of any arrest involving Gumi.

We also observed that Gumi remains active online, having hosted a Facebook live stream on Sunday, January 4, 2026. In a newspaper post on January 6, 2026, he dismissed reports claiming that he was targeted for elimination by the United States during recent airstrikes on terrorists in Sokoto State.

He also urged the Federal Government to halt military cooperation with the US and instead seek assistance from “neutral countries” such as China, Turkey, and Pakistan. He also gave a BBC Pidgin interview on Dec. 9, 2025, to defend bandit negotiations and deny post-2021 contacts. On Dec. 25, he criticised US airstrikes carried out in Nigeria.

Can ICC make an arrest?

The ICC’s jurisdiction primarily covers genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression, not individual misconduct allegations.

Arrest warrants by the ICC are issued through its Pre-Trial Chamber judges when there are reasonable grounds to suspect serious international crimes. These warrants are legally binding on the 125 Rome Statute member states, which are obligated to arrest suspects on their territory and surrender them to The Hague.

However, the ICC does not have its own police force and relies entirely on state cooperation for enforcement. Non-member states, such as the US, Russia, or Nigeria, are not legally obliged to comply unless ad hoc arrangements or UN Security Council resolutions apply.