Prominent Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has defended his visit to Ibadan last year, dismissing allegations that his presence in Oyo State was connected to efforts to promote Sharia law or advance northern religious interests in the South-West.
The cleric spoke amid renewed controversy surrounding claims that kidnappers operating in Oyo State demanded the introduction of Sharia law as part of negotiations for the release of abducted victims.
In a post on his Facebook page on Tuesday, Gumi said he was unfairly drawn into local political disputes and rejected suggestions that his visit to the state had any hidden agenda.
“I quite understand now how Islamophobia is shaping politics in SW (South-West) and why I was unnecessarily dragged into their dirty local politics,” he wrote.
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Clarifying the purpose of his trip, Gumi explained that he visited Ibadan in his capacity as a representative of northern Islamic scholars rather than at the invitation of any Muslim organisation or individual in the region.
“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?” he asked.
His comments came a day after one of the victims abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State challenged reports that their captors had demanded the implementation of Sharia law in the state.
The victim, Mrs. Rachael Alamu, principal of Community High School, Esiele, who appeared in a viral video from captivity, said the abductors never requested the introduction of Sharia law or the payment of a N1 billion ransom as widely reported.
According to her, the kidnappers instead demanded the release of some of their associates being held by Nigerian security agencies.
The claims have also been disputed by the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), which described reports linking the kidnappers to demands for Sharia implementation as false.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Islamic advocacy group said the allegation was fabricated to discredit Islam and Muslims.
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MURIC described the report as “a lie from the pit of Jahannam (hell)” and alleged that individuals opposed to Islam inserted the claim into discussions surrounding negotiations with the abductors.
Gumi’s remarks appear to align with the position taken by the group, as he argued that anti-Islam sentiments were increasingly influencing political discourse in parts of the South-West.
Gumi’s visit to Oyo State had generated debate following his participation in the Southern Nigerian Ulama Summit held at the University of Ibadan on November 19, 2025.
At the event, Gumi served as a guest speaker and also took part in a courtesy meeting involving prominent Islamic scholars from both Northern and Southern Nigeria.
