Saudi Arabia Bars Sheikh Gumi From Hajj, Deports Him To Nigeria.
Saudi Arabian authorities have deported prominent Nigerian Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, preventing him from participating in the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage. The Kaduna-based cleric, who arrived in Medina on Saturday, 24 May 2025, aboard an Umza Air flight, was denied entry despite holding a valid visa, citing his controversial political views.
In a statement shared on his verified Facebook page on Monday, 26 May 2025, Sheikh Gumi confirmed the development, stating, “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 expressed gratitude to Nigerian authorities, who have pledged to engage with their Saudi counterparts to address the matter.
Gumi was part of a delegation of Islamic scholars sponsored by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to provide religious guidance during the pilgrimage. However, upon landing at Medina’s airport around 10:30 p.m., Saudi immigration officials barred him from entering the city and promptly arranged his return to Nigeria.
The cleric’s outspoken stance on Nigerian politics and his advocacy for dialogue with armed bandits have long sparked debate. His previous detention in Saudi Arabia in 2010, linked to alleged email correspondence with Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Nigerian “underwear bomber,” may have contributed to the authorities’ decision. That incident, which led to his six-month house arrest in Mecca, was resolved only after Nigerian government intervention.
The Nigerian Hajj Commission has yet to issue an official statement, but sources indicate they are working to clarify why Gumi was included in the delegation, given his prior history with Saudi authorities.
This incident underscores the stringent oversight Saudi Arabia exercises over Hajj pilgrims, particularly those with controversial public profiles. As the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, the Saudi government maintains strict quotas and vetting processes for the annual pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, Islam’s holiest sites.
The Nigerian government’s pledge to engage diplomatically offers hope for a resolution, but for now, Sheikh Gumi’s exclusion from the 2025 Hajj marks another chapter in his complex relationship with international authorities.