Islamic cleric Ahmad Gumi has dismissed criticism surrounding his recent visit to Oyo State, declaring that no individual or group has the authority to prevent him from travelling to any part of Nigeria.
Gumi made the remarks in a post shared on his Facebook page on Tuesday amid growing controversy over his presence in Ibadan.
The cleric had come under criticism following allegations linking his visit to efforts to promote northern Islamic ideologies and advance the Islamisation of Oyo State.
Responding to the claims, Gumi described the backlash as an attempt to drag him into what he called “dirty local politics” in the South-West.
Gumi Defends Ibadan Visit
According to the cleric, he was not invited to Ibadan by any Muslim group or individual from the South-West.
He explained that he attended the event in his capacity as a representative of northern Islamic scholars.
“I quite understand now how Islamophobia is shaping politics in the South-West and why I was unnecessarily dragged into their dirty local politics,” Gumi wrote.
“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?”
Controversy Follows Oyo Kidnapping Crisis
Gumi’s comments come against the backdrop of heightened tensions in Oyo State following reports that abductors holding teachers and pupils kidnapped from Oriire Local Government Area demanded the implementation of Sharia law as one of the conditions for releasing their victims.
The claims sparked widespread debate and renewed concerns over religion, insecurity and regional politics.
However, one of the abducted school principals recently appeared in a video from captivity denying reports that the kidnappers demanded ₦1 billion ransom, the release of certain detainees or the introduction of Sharia law in Nigeria.
Her statement contradicted earlier reports that had circulated widely in the media.
Debate Continues
The cleric’s latest remarks have generated mixed reactions online.
While some Nigerians defended his constitutional right to move freely across the country, others argued that public concerns stem from the broader context of insecurity and religious sensitivities surrounding the Oyo school abduction case.
As debates continue, Gumi has maintained that his Ibadan visit had no hidden agenda and should not be interpreted through the lens of political or religious suspicion.
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