Sheikh Gumi reacts to getting deported by Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabian authorities have denied entry to prominent Nigerian Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, despite issuing him a visa to perform this year’s Hajj. Gumi made the revelation in a Facebook post on Monday, stating that he was barred from entering Medina, where he was to commence his religious rites.

“For some obvious reasons, my views about world politics, the Saudi authorities are uncomfortable about my presence in the Hajj after giving me the Hajj visa,” Gumi wrote. He expressed appreciation to Nigerian authorities, saying, “Thanks to the Nigerian authorities, who have pledged to take up the matter immediately with Saudi authorities. That is the value of our cherished freedom and democracy.”

Gumi added that he would now focus on his health and farming activities and prayed for the safety of all pilgrims.

According to the BBC, Gumi was part of the delegation of Islamic clerics sponsored by the Nigerian Hajj Commission (NAHCON). He reportedly arrived in Medina on Saturday night via Umza Air, but Saudi immigration officials blocked him from entering the country.

The cleric’s ban comes amid a history of outspoken criticism against Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations. On several occasions, Gumi has used his social media platforms to highlight alleged injustices in the region. In March 2025, he shared a video condemning the abuse of Palestinian women and accused Israel of having no respect for human rights. On May 15, he posted a video criticizing Arab leaders for hosting former U.S. President Donald Trump while he allegedly supported actions against Palestinians.

“They are only concerned about protecting their thrones to avoid opposition in their lands. They are all cowards,” Gumi said of Arab rulers. He also accused them of being afraid of Western powers, stating, “An Arab man can look down on any other person except the white man.”

Gumi’s critical stance extended to questions of governance in the Middle East. “We don’t need to carry swords against anybody, even Israel. If we correct and conduct ourselves according to the teachings of the Qur’an, nobody can harm us,” he said in a past interview.

His history with Saudi authorities is not new. In a 2010 interview with Daily Trust, Gumi linked a previous arrest in Saudi Arabia to security reports sent by Nigeria’s then government under President Olusegun Obasanjo. He claimed the Obasanjo regime used state security apparatus to circulate reports about him internationally. While he was eventually released, Gumi noted that Saudi prison conditions were far superior to those in Nigeria, calling on Nigerian leaders to reform the country’s correctional system.

Despite his personal setbacks, Gumi’s family holds a legacy of Islamic scholarship. His late father, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi, was a recipient of the King Faisal Inter