Gumi defends Ibadan visit, says he can travel anywhere in Nigeria
Gumi defends Ibadan visit, says he is free to travel anywhere across Nigeria
By Adejayan Gbenga
Popular Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, has defended his recent visit to Ibadan, declaring that no individual or group can prevent him from travelling to any part of Nigeria.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Gumi said he attended the event in Oyo State as a representative of the Coalition of Northern Muslim Ulama and not at the invitation of any Muslim organisation or individual in the South-West.
The cleric dismissed attempts to link his visit to local political developments, arguing that efforts to politicise his presence in the state were unnecessary and misplaced.
He further alleged that Islamophobia was influencing some political narratives in the region, adding that such sentiments were being used to generate controversy around his activities.
“I was in Ibadan as a representative of the Coalition of Northern Muslim Ulama. Can anybody stop me from going anywhere in Nigeria?” Gumi wrote in the post.
His comments come amid public debate over reports that abductors of schoolchildren in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State had demanded the implementation of Sharia law as part of conditions for releasing their victims.
However, one of the captives, Mrs. Rachael Alamu, the principal of Community High School, dismissed the claim in a viral video, stating that the kidnappers were only seeking the release of some of their detained associates and not the introduction of Sharia law.
Also reacting to the controversy, Muslim Rights Concern rejected reports linking the abduction to a demand for Sharia law, describing the allegation as false and capable of portraying Islam negatively. Gumi had previously visited Ibadan in November 2025 as a special guest at the Southern Nigerian Ulama Summit held at the University of Ibadan, where he met with Islamic scholars from different parts of the country.
