Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has questioned the impact of heavy military spending on security, arguing that improving people’s living conditions could produce better results.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, the Kaduna-based cleric cited a CNN analysis titled “Why billions spent on defense haven’t shielded Saudi Arabia from Houthi attacks.”
According to the report, Saudi Arabia spent $83 billion on defence last year, based on figures from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. However, the spending has not stopped Houthi attacks on its airports, refineries and pipelines.
“If just $10 billion is spent on the social welfare of these mountainous rebellious neighboring population, they will not have the morality to fight them. Rather, they were bombed for decades resulting in irretractable enmity,” Gumi said.
He compared Saudi Arabia’s experience with Nigeria’s security strategy under former President Muhammadu Buhari. During Buhari’s administration, Nigeria bought 12 A-29 Super Tucano fighter aircraft from the United States for about $496.37 million, equivalent to N151.39 billion at the time.
Gumi also referenced Amnesty International’s 2023 human-rights agenda, which reported that the Nigerian Air Force had carried out at least 17 fatal airstrikes on civilian settlements since July 2019.
“If this colossal amount of money is used to improve the living conditions of these people, it will yield better results,” he argued.
He cited Qur’an 41:34, Surah Fussilat, to support his call for kindness and forgiveness.
“Good and evil are not equal. Allah teaches us to respond to wrongdoing with kindness, patience, forgiveness, and good behaviour rather than revenge. By treating someone who is hostile towards us with goodness, we may soften their heart and turn an enemy into a close and loving friend,” he added.
