Prominent Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has urged the Federal Government of Nigeria to stand firm in defending the rights and dignity of Nigerians abroad following his recent deportation by Saudi Arabian authorities.
In an exclusive interview with Vanguard, Sheikh Gumi reflected on the incident and highlighted the need for Nigeria to assert its sovereignty in the face of foreign interference.
When asked about the deportation, Sheikh Gumi said, “Yes, the Nigerian government is on top of it. Nigeria should stand by her principles as a free nation. Every Nigerian has the freedom of speech as long as you do not call for violence, discrimination, and ethnic cleansing. Your expressed views should not be used against somebody intending to go for worship.”
He also confirmed that top Nigerian officials had reached out to him over the matter.
“The Minister of External Affairs has already contacted me, and the Director General of the DSS, we have spoken. I think the government is doing the right thing to see that citizens are not molested.”
Gumi stressed the importance of Nigeria defending its status as a sovereign and respected nation.
“Nigeria has to assert her own rights as a free nation; we are not slaves to anybody. This is a lesson we should teach all authoritarian governments — that ‘Look, you don’t play with the rights of Nigeria.’”
When asked whether he still intends to perform pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, the cleric responded without hesitation, “Yes, I will go on pilgrimage. It is a place of worship, and there should not be restrictions for adherents.”
Gumi was among a delegation of religious leaders sponsored by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) who arrived in Medina on Saturday via Umza Air.
Whe he arrived at the Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport, he was denied entry and deported back to Nigeria.
Despite the setback, diplomatic ties between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia remain strong, with the cleric’s deportation now drawing fresh attention to the broader issue of how Nigerian citizens are treated abroad.
