The Prominent Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has been deported by Saudi Arabian authorities, preventing him from participating in the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage despite possessing a valid visa.The Kaduna-based cleric confirmed this development in a statement posted on his official Facebook page on Monday, May 26, 2025.
Gumi explained that although he was granted a visa for the pilgrimage, he was not allowed to enter 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 issued me a visa,” he stated.
He also expressed gratitude to Nigerian authorities for their efforts to intervene. “I am thankful to the authorities in Nigeria who have pledged to engage with the Saudi authorities on this matter,” he noted.
Reports suggest 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 prevented him from entering the city and arranged for his return flight back to Nigeria.