Prominent Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, has brushed aside criticism surrounding his visit to Ibadan, Oyo State, in late 2025, insisting that no individual or group can prevent him from travelling to any part of Nigeria.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Gumi argued that his visit had been wrongly politicized and linked to what he described as “dirty local politics” in Nigeria’s South-West region.
The cleric faced criticism from some quarters following allegations that his presence in Ibadan was connected to efforts to advance northern Islamic ideologies and promote the Islamisation of Oyo State.
Responding to the claims, Gumi maintained that he was not invited by any Muslim organization or individual from the South-West. Instead, he said he attended the event in his capacity as a representative of the Coalition of Northern Muslim Ulama.
According to him, growing Islamophobia is increasingly influencing political discourse in the South-West and contributed to the controversy surrounding his visit.
Questioning the backlash, Gumi asked whether anyone had the authority to stop him from travelling freely across Nigeria.
The controversy resurfaced amid reports that kidnappers of some victims in Oriire Local Government Area allegedly demanded the implementation of Sharia law in Oyo State as a condition for releasing their captives.
However, one of the victims, Rachael Alamu, refuted the claim in a viral video recorded while in captivity. She stated that the abductors neither demanded Sharia law nor requested a ₦1 billion ransom, adding that their primary demand was the release of associates being held by Nigerian authorities.
Gumi’s visit to Ibadan took place on November 19, 2025, when he attended the Southern Nigerian Ulama Summit at University of Ibadan as a special guest and speaker. During the visit, he also participated in a courtesy meeting with notable Muslim scholars from both Northern and Southern Nigeria.