Prominent Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has raised a fresh alarm regarding the country's security situation. He insists that the terror groups causing havoc in Nigeria are now receiving strong backing from foreign powers.

Speaking in a recent interview with the BBC Hausa Service, the controversial scholar noted that the style of recent attacks points to external influence. According to him, the situation on ground just doesn't add up anymore.

Gumi explained that before this sudden spike in violence, there were clear signs that peace was returning. He argued that the current wave of insecurity contradicts the progress the nation had already made.

To back up his claims, he pointed to the Abuja-Kaduna highway. This road, once a nightmare for travellers, had become relatively safe and quiet in recent months until this sudden turn of events.

He also highlighted the situation in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State. Farmers who had previously fled their lands for fear of their lives had actually started returning to their farms. This, Gumi noted, was proof that stability was gradually being restored.

For the cleric, the fact that things went from getting better to suddenly getting worse is suspicious. He believes this reversal raises questions that we cannot afford to overlook.

Consequently, Gumi has charged the Federal Government to wake up. He urged the authorities to dig deeper with their intelligence gathering and thoroughly investigate any international links that might be funding or fueling the crisis.