Popular Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, has dismissed allegations that his visit to Ibadan last year was part of an agenda to Islamise Oyo State or promote northern religious ideology in the South-West.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Gumi responded to criticisms surrounding his November 2025 visit to the state, insisting that no individual or group has the authority to restrict his movement within Nigeria.
The cleric clarified that his trip to Ibadan was not at the invitation of any Muslim organisation or individual in the South-West, but rather in his capacity as a representative of the Coalition of Northern Muslim Ulama.
“I now understand how Islamophobia is shaping politics in the South-West and why I was dragged into local political controversies,” Gumi wrote.
“I was in Ibadan not at 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?”
Gumi's remarks come amid ongoing debates and public reactions to his visit, which drew criticism from some quarters over concerns about religious influence and regional politics.
The cleric's comments also followed recent developments involving victims of a kidnapping incident in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
One of the victims, Mrs. Rachael Alamu, Principal of Community High School, Esiele, reportedly refuted claims that the abductors demanded the introduction of Sharia law in Oyo State or requested a ₦1 billion ransom as a condition for their release.
Speaking in a video recorded while in captivity and later circulated online, Alamu stated that the kidnappers instead demanded the release of their associates currently being held in government custody.
Gumi visited Ibadan on November 19, 2025, as a guest speaker at the Southern Nigerian Ulama Summit held at the University of Ibadan. During the visit, he also attended a courtesy meeting involving prominent Muslim scholars from both northern and southern Nigeria.
The cleric maintained that his participation in the event was purely religious and academic, rejecting suggestions that it was linked to any political or ideological agenda.
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