Prominent Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has been deported by Saudi Arabian authorities and denied access to perform the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage, despite holding a valid visa.
The Kaduna-based cleric confirmed the development in a statement posted on his official Facebook page on Monday, May 26, 2025.
According to Gumi, although he was granted a visa for the pilgrimage, he was not allowed entry into Medina upon arrival.
“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 explained.
Sheikh Gumi expressed appreciation to Nigerian authorities for their willingness to intervene.
“I am grateful to the authorities in Nigeria who have pledged to engage with the Saudi authorities on this matter,” he said.
Reports indicate that Gumi was part of a group of scholars sponsored by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to provide religious guidance during this year’s pilgrimage.
He arrived in Medina on Saturday night via Umza Air alongside other clerics.
However, around 10:30 p.m. upon arrival, Saudi immigration officials reportedly stopped him from proceeding into the city and subsequently placed him on a return flight back to Nigeria.
