Popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has reacted to the controversy surrounding his visit to Ibadan last year, insisting that no individual or group has the power to stop him from travelling to any part of Nigeria.
Gumi made the statement on Tuesday while responding to criticism and allegations that his visit to Oyo State was part of an attempt to promote Islamic ideologies in the South-West region.
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In a post shared on his Facebook page, the cleric clarified that he was not invited by any Muslim organisation or individual in the South-West. According to him, he visited Ibadan as a representative of a coalition of northern Islamic scholars.
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His comments came amid growing debate over reports that kidnappers holding victims in Oyo State had demanded the implementation of Sharia law as a condition for their release.
However, one of the abductees, Mrs Rachael Alamu, the principal of Community High School, Esiele, dismissed the claims in a viral video recorded from captivity.
Alamu stated that the gunmen never demanded the introduction of Sharia law or a ₦1 billion ransom as widely reported. Instead, she said the abductors were seeking the release of some of their associates currently in government custody.
The controversy also drew a response from the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), which strongly denied the alleged Sharia demand.
In a statement issued on Monday, MURIC described the report as false and accused enemies of Islam of inserting the claim into ongoing negotiations to damage the religion’s image.
Backing the position of the Islamic rights group, Gumi suggested that anti-Islam sentiments were influencing political discussions in the South-West.
“I quite understand now how Islamophobia is shaping politics in the South-West and why I was unnecessarily dragged into their dirty local politics,” he wrote.
The cleric further stressed that his visit to Ibadan had no political motive.
“I was in Ibadan, not by the invitation of any South-West Muslim individual or group, but as a representative of the Coalition of Northern Muslim Ulama.
“Can anybody stop me from going anywhere in Nigeria?” he asked.
Gumi’s visit to Ibadan took place on November 19, 2025, when he attended the Southern Nigerian Ulama Summit as a special guest and keynote speaker.
The event was held at the University of Ibadan and brought together prominent Islamic scholars from both Northern and Southern Nigeria.
During the visit, the cleric also participated in a courtesy meeting alongside other respected Muslim leaders from across the country.
His latest remarks are expected to reignite conversations around religion, regional politics and freedom of movement in Nigeria.
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