Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has been deported from Saudi Arabia and barred from performing the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage.
The renowned scholar confirmed the development in a post shared on his official Facebook page on Monday, May 26, 2025.
According to Gumi, despite being granted a visa by the Saudi authorities, he was not allowed to proceed to Medina to commence his religious rites. “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.
Gumi was part of a delegation of Islamic scholars sponsored by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to Saudi Arabia for this year’s pilgrimage. However, Saudi immigration officials stopped him from entering the country at the airport upon his arrival in Medina on Saturday night.
The cleric expressed gratitude to the Nigerian authorities for pledging to engage with the Saudi authorities on this matter. “I am grateful to the authorities in Nigeria who have pledged to take up the matter immediately with Saudi authorities,” he stated.
In his post titled “My Hajj 2025!”, Gumi jokingly said, “Alhamdulillahi I’ve already completed my Hajj 2025 and I’m at home in our beloved country Nigeria.” He quoted a verse from the Quran, “And accomplish the Hajj i.e pilgrimage and the Umra for Allah, but if, you are prevented, (slaughter) the offering available with you.” Gumi has now returned to Nigeria, where he can attend to his health and farming activities ¹ ².