Saudi Arabia has stopped Kaduna-based Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Gumi from performing the 2025 Hajj and deported him back to Nigeria.

Kaduna-based Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Gumi confirmed this in a post made on Monday, May 26, 2025, via his Facebook page.

He said the Saudi government had granted him a visa to enter the country for Hajj, but he was not allowed to enter Medina to begin his religious duties.

“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,” Sheikh Gumi said in a post on his Facebook page.

He added, “I am grateful to the authorities in Nigeria who have pledged to engage with the Saudi authorities on this matter.”

According to findings, Sheikh Gumi is part of a delegation of scholars sponsored by the Nigerian Hajj Commission (NAHCON) to travel to Saudi Arabia for religious services.

Gumi arrived in Medina with other clerics last Saturday at around 10:30pm on an Umza Air flight, but upon arrival at the city’s airport, Saudi immigration officials prevented the cleric from entering the country.

Reports revealed that Sheikh Gumi has now returned to Nigeria to continue his daily activities, especially teaching.

Following a momentous official visit that included the establishment of a strategic economic alliance with the Kingdom, participation in the Gulf-US Summit and Saudi-US Investment Forum, and a historic meeting with Syria’s new leadership, US President Donald Trump left Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. On the second stop of his three-nation Gulf tour, which also includes the United Arab Emirates, Trump arrived in Qatar.

President Trump was greeted by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, concluding a two-day visit that both parties have hailed as momentous in both scope and result.

Trump travelled abroad for the first time during his second administration. The Crown Prince met him at the airport on Tuesday morning, and throughout the visit, the two leaders had several high-level meetings.

Trump and the Crown Prince inked the Strategic Economic Partnership between the two countries at the Saudi-U.S. Summit, which they co-chaired at Al-Yamamah Palace. Numerous agreements and memoranda were exchanged during the summit, which focused on bilateral ties and regional security. These areas included defence, energy, justice, health, space, and scientific research.

The administration of the Two Holy Mosques has lifted the Kaaba’s covering (Kiswah) 3 meters above the ground ahead of the Hajj pilgrimage, as is customary each year. This step, which will last until the 15th of Dhul-Hijjah, is intended to protect the sacred cloth from potential damage during the flow of pilgrims. Historically, some pilgrims attempted to touch or cut pieces of the Kiswah to save as relics, resulting in wear and tear. The elevated covering protects the Kaaba’s sacredness and prevents unintended damage during the busy Hajj season.