Prominent Kaduna-based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has been deported from Saudi Arabia after being denied entry to perform the 2025 Hajj, despite holding a valid visa.
Gumi disclosed the development on Monday, May 26, 2025, via a post on his Facebook page. He revealed that Saudi authorities stopped him from entering Medina upon his arrival, citing concerns related to his political views.
“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.
The cleric thanked the Nigerian government, noting that officials have pledged to address the matter with their Saudi counterparts.
Sources say Gumi was among a group of religious scholars sponsored by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for this year’s pilgrimage. He arrived in Medina on Saturday night around 10:30 p.m. aboard an Umza Air flight but was stopped by Saudi immigration and sent back to Nigeria.
Upon his return, Sheikh Gumi resumed his regular activities, including teaching.
