Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has been deported from Saudi Arabia and barred from participating in the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage, despite being granted a visa.
The Kaduna-based cleric disclosed the incident on Monday in a statement shared on his official Facebook page.
“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 was part of a delegation of Nigerian religious scholars sponsored by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). He arrived in Medina on Saturday night via Umza Air, landing at Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport.
However, immigration officials reportedly stopped him on arrival and denied him entry into the city. He was subsequently placed on a return flight to Nigeria.
The cleric said Nigerian authorities have expressed concern over the matter and promised to engage Saudi officials for clarification.
“I am grateful to the authorities in Nigeria who have pledged to engage with the Saudi authorities on this matter,” he added.
A NAHCON source, who asked not to be named, confirmed the incident saying the commission was caught off guard as all delegates had valid visas and fulfilled the standard Hajj requirements.
Though Saudi Arabia has not issued an official explanation for the deportation, observers believe it may be linked to Gumi’s outspoken political and religious positions. The cleric has been known for initiating dialogue with armed groups in northern Nigeria and has openly criticised both Western and Middle Eastern political interventions.
The development has stirred debate within Nigeria’s religious circles and among the general public, raising questions about the extent to which political ideologies can affect one’s religious freedoms.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Saudi embassy in Nigeria nor the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement.
Sheikh Gumi has since resumed his preaching and teaching activities in Nigeria.
