By GARBA MUHAMMAD, Kaduna

In a move that has stirred diplomatic ripples, Saudi Arabian authorities have denied entry to Nigeria’s prominent Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, despite issuing him a valid visa for this year’s Hajj pilgrimage.

Sheikh Gumi, known for his outspoken views on global and regional politics, was reportedly stopped by immigration officials upon arrival in Medina on Saturday night around 10:30 p.m., aboard a flight operated by Umza Air. He was part of a delegation of clerics sponsored by Nigeria’s National Hajj Commission (NAHCON).

Speaking via a written message shared with journalists, Gumi suggested that his exclusion was less about procedural error and more about his controversial stances on international issues.

“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 stated.

While Gumi refrained from naming specific political statements or affiliations that may have triggered the rejection, observers note that the cleric has often walked a delicate line, mixing religion with critical commentary on foreign policy, particularly in the Middle East.

The Saudi decision raises questions about the Kingdom’s increasingly assertive stance in policing not only who performs the pilgrimage, but also whose ideologies are welcome on its soil. It also places Nigeria in a potentially awkward diplomatic position, as Gumi disclosed that Nigerian authorities have pledged to engage their Saudi counterparts over the matter.

“This is more than a visa issue – it touches on sovereignty, ideology, and the politics of religion,” a senior Islamic affairs analyst in Kaduna told News Express, requesting anonymity.

The NAHCON is yet to release an official statement on the matter.

For now, Sheikh Gumi is back in Nigeria, but the diplomatic and ideological shadows of his deportation may linger longer than the Hajj season itself.