Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has addressed the controversy surrounding his visit to Ibadan last year, rejecting accusations that he was in Oyo State to advance an Islamisation agenda rooted in northern ideology.
The cleric maintained that he has the right to travel freely across Nigeria and said his visit to the South-West city was not arranged by any Muslim individual or organisation in the region.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Gumi explained that he travelled to Ibadan in his capacity as a representative of a coalition of northern Muslim clerics.
His remarks followed recent comments by a victim of a kidnapping incident in Oriire Local Government Area, who denied reports that the abductors demanded the introduction of Sharia law as part of the conditions for their freedom.
Gumi’s visit to Oyo State in November 2025 sparked widespread debate online after claims emerged that kidnappers who abducted pupils and teachers in the state on May 15, 2026, had requested concessions that some interpreted as a push for Sharia law.
Reacting to the renewed attention, Gumi said he was being unfairly drawn into political battles in the South-West.
“I quite understand now how Islamophobia is shaping politics in SW and why I was unnecessarily dragged into their dirty local politics.
“I was in Ibadan not by the invitation of any SW muslim individual or group but as a representative of the coalition of northern muslim Ulama.
“Can anybody stop me from going anywhere in Nigeria? I believe the whole saga is tele-guided by both foreign and local interests to promote a narrative and polarise the country,” he wrote.
