Renowned Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has been denied entry into Saudi Arabia to perform this year’s Hajj, despite possessing a valid visa issued by the Saudi authorities.
Sheikh Gumi made this known in a post shared on his official Facebook page on Monday. He said although he was granted a visa, he was stopped at the Medina airport and barred from proceeding with his religious rites.
“For some obvious reasons, my views about world politics make the Saudi authorities uncomfortable with my presence at Hajj, even after giving me a visa,” he wrote.
The cleric, who is known for his outspoken positions on national and global issues, thanked Nigerian authorities for stepping in to address the matter with their Saudi counterparts.
“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,” he added.
Sheikh Gumi, who was part of the Nigerian Hajj Commission’s (NAHCON) delegation of Islamic scholars, reportedly arrived in Medina on Saturday night aboard an Umza Air flight.
However, upon arrival, Saudi immigration officials denied him entry and turned him back from the airport.
In his post, Gumi said he would now focus on his health and farming activities while praying for the safe return of all Nigerian pilgrims and the continued peace and progress of the country.
