By Seyi Odewale
Prominent Kaduna-based Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has been deported from Saudi Arabia, effectively barring him from participating in the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage despite holding a valid visa. The development has sparked widespread reactions, particularly within religious and diplomatic circles.
Sheikh Gumi, a controversial but influential figure known for his outspoken views on national and international issues, confirmed the incident yesterday via his official Facebook page.
According to the cleric, he was scheduled to begin his Hajj rites in Medina after arriving in the holy city aboard an Umza Air flight late Saturday night.
He travelled in the company of other Islamic clerics reportedly sponsored by the Nigerian Hajj Commission to provide spiritual guidance to Nigerian pilgrims.
However, upon landing at Medina Airport around 10:30 pm, Gumi said Saudi immigration officials stopped him.
Despite possessing a valid visa issued by Saudi authorities, he was denied entry and subsequently placed on a return flight to Nigeria.
“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 on his Facebook page.
He did not elaborate on which specific views may have triggered the deportation.
The cleric, who has in recent years gained notoriety for his controversial mediation roles involving armed bandits in northern Nigeria, expressed gratitude to the Nigerian government, which he says has promised to intervene diplomatically.
“I am grateful to the authorities in Nigeria who have pledged to engage with the Saudi authorities on this matter,” he added.
The reasons behind the Saudi government’s actions remain officially undisclosed.
Still, analysts suggest that Sheikh Gumi’s past statements—especially those critical of specific Middle Eastern policies—may have prompted the decision.
The incident raises questions about the extent to which political and ideological views are influencing access to the Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, which is supposed to be open to all eligible Muslims regardless of political orientation.
As of the time this report was filed, neither the Saudi embassy in Nigeria nor the Nigerian Hajj Commission had issued an official statement on the matter.
