Prominent Kaduna-based Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has been deported from Saudi Arabia and denied participation in the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage, despite holding a valid visa.
In a statement shared via his verified Facebook page on Monday, Gumi revealed that Saudi authorities stopped him upon arrival in Medina, citing concerns over his political views.
“Due to some reasons related to my views on world politics, the authorities in Saudi Arabia do not want me to be present at Hajj even though they have granted me a visa,” he wrote.
Gumi had traveled as part of a delegation of Islamic clerics sponsored by the Nigerian Hajj Commission (NAHCON) to provide religious guidance during the Hajj. He arrived in Medina on Saturday night at approximately 10:30 PM aboard an Umza Air flight but was stopped at the airport by Saudi immigration officers and subsequently deported.
The scholar thanked Nigerian authorities for promising to intervene with Saudi counterparts in hopes of resolving the matter.
Historical Context: Gumi’s Previous Detention in Saudi Arabia
This isn’t the first time Gumi has encountered problems with Saudi authorities. In 2010, he was detained for over six months following alleged ties with Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the infamous Nigerian underwear bomber. Reports at the time indicated that the United States had flagged email communications between Gumi and Abdulmutallab prior to the failed December 25, 2009 terror attack on a US-bound flight.
Following his arrest, Gumi was transferred from Jeddah to Mecca, where he remained under house arrest until diplomatic intervention by the Nigerian government led to his release.
Controversial Figure
In recent years, Sheikh Gumi has stirred national debate in Nigeria for his advocacy of amnesty and dialogue with armed bandits, positioning himself as a mediator in the nation’s worsening security crisis. While some hail his efforts, others accuse him of offering undue legitimacy to criminal elements.
The recent deportation adds another chapter to Gumi’s complicated relationship with international authorities, particularly in Saudi Arabia.
