Controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has been deported from Saudi Arabia and barred from participating in the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage, despite holding a valid visa.
Gumi, who once served as bandits’ negotiator, confirmed the development in a statement posted on his official Facebook page on Monday.
He said: “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 indicated that while he was cleared for travel, Saudi officials denied him entry into Medina, the starting point for his pilgrimage.
The Kaduna-based cleric was part of a delegation of Islamic scholars under the sponsorship of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), charged with offering religious services during the Hajj season.
He arrived in Medina on Saturday night aboard an Umza Air flight alongside fellow clerics.
But Saudi immigration officials stopped him at the airport and subsequently refused him entry into the kingdom.
Following the incident, Sheikh Gumi has since returned to Nigeria.
In his statement, he also acknowledged the intervention of Nigerian authorities, saying: “I am grateful to the authorities in Nigeria who have pledged to engage with the Saudi authorities on this matter,” he added.
Though, no official reason has been given by the Saudi authorities, but observers have linked the action to Sheikh Gumi’s controversial political and religious commentary, which may have conflicted with Saudi policies.
The scholar gained popularity, particularly for his role as an intermediary in dialogues with armed criminals in the country’s troubled northern region.