~Prominent Nigerian Cleric Claims Political Views Behind Deportation Despite Valid Visa
Kaduna, Nigeria – May 26, 2025 — Prominent Nigerian Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has been deported from Saudi Arabia and barred from performing the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage, despite holding a valid visa for the annual religious rites.
The Kaduna-based cleric revealed the development Monday via his official social media platform, stating that Saudi authorities denied him entry upon arrival in Medina on Saturday night. Gumi had traveled as part of a delegation of Islamic scholars sponsored by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), aboard an Umza Air flight. The delegation was expected to provide religious guidance to Nigerian pilgrims during the Hajj season.
“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,” Sheikh Gumi stated.
Despite receiving prior travel clearance, Saudi immigration officials reportedly intercepted the cleric at the airport, revoked his entry, and subsequently deported him back to Nigeria.
Gumi expressed appreciation to Nigerian authorities who, he said, have pledged to engage diplomatically with Saudi Arabia over the matter. “I am grateful to the authorities in Nigeria who have pledged to engage with the Saudi authorities on this matter,” he added in his online statement.
Saudi officials have yet to issue an official explanation for the deportation. However, the incident has sparked considerable discussion, with analysts and followers suggesting the move may be tied to Gumi’s outspoken political and religious commentary, which has sometimes diverged from official Saudi stances.
Sheikh Gumi is widely known for his controversial public positions and for his involvement in dialogue with armed groups in northern Nigeria—a role that has often placed him at the center of national and international scrutiny.
The deportation has ignited debate about the intersection of religious expression, political ideology, and international diplomacy, particularly concerning the custodianship of Islam’s holiest sites and the politics of access to them.
This development may have broader implications for Nigeria-Saudi relations, especially in the context of Hajj administration and religious diplomacy.
