Adeyanju, Gumi clash over killing of Iran’s supreme leader Khamenei

Activist lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, has mocked controversial Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, following the reported killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, in a joint United States and Israeli air operation.

Khamenei, 86, was reportedly killed on Saturday during coordinated airstrikes carried out by the United States and Israel as part of a large-scale military operation in the heart of Tehran, Iran’s capital.

Reacting to the development, Sheikh Gumi described the late Iranian leader as “a lucky soul” who “died in jihad.”

He stated that Khamenei passed on “in jihad against killers of innocent children and women in Gaza and elsewhere,” adding that his blood “will fuel the change in the ummah.”

Gumi further said the Iranian leader stood firmly for justice and did not hide in bunkers, portraying his death as a form of martyrdom in the struggle against perceived oppression in the Middle East.

However, Adeyanju took to his verified X (formerly Twitter) account to criticise Gumi and others he accused of sympathising with extremist causes. In a strongly worded post, the activist lawyer wrote that “Gumi and other terrorist sympathizers in Nigeria are crying” and described Khamenei as “the demon of Iran.”

READ ALSO:Oil prices poised for sharp surge as Iran moves to close Strait of Hormuz

Adeyanju also questioned Iran’s defence capabilities, arguing that the country’s airspace appeared vulnerable despite prior warnings of impending strikes.

He queried why the United States had been able to announce its intention to attack and still successfully carry out the operation, asking why Iran could not prevent the repeated incursions.

The exchange has since generated heated reactions on social media, with supporters and critics of both figures debating the geopolitical implications of Khamenei’s death and the broader tensions between Iran, Israel and the United States.

As regional tensions continue to escalate, the divergent reactions from prominent Nigerian voices highlight the far-reaching global impact of developments in the Middle East.