I Was Not Invited by Any South-West Muslim Group — Gumi Clarifies Ibadan Visit

Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, has clarified the circumstances surrounding his recent visit to Ibadan, insisting that he was neither invited by any Muslim organisation nor any individual in the South-West.

Gumi explained that his trip to Oyo State was strictly for a gathering of Muslim scholars and discussions on national issues, particularly the growing insecurity across the country.

In a statement shared on his Facebook page on Tuesday, the cleric stated that he attended the event as a representative of the Coalition of Northern Muslim Ulama, stressing that his presence in Ibadan was part of an official assignment.

“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,” he said.

Gumi also alleged that what he described as fear of Islam and Muslims was influencing reactions to his visit in some parts of the South-West, following public debates and controversies surrounding the trip.

According to him, addressing insecurity in Nigeria requires a deeper understanding of its underlying causes. He identified factors such as poverty, unemployment, lack of education and the marginalisation of certain communities as major drivers of insecurity.

The cleric argued that while military and security operations remain important, dialogue, engagement and rehabilitation should also be incorporated into efforts aimed at tackling criminality and violence across the country.

His comments come amid ongoing discussions about security challenges in Oyo State, especially following recent kidnapping incidents that have attracted widespread public attention.

Gumi maintained that he was being unnecessarily drawn into local political disputes and emphasised that his constitutional right to move freely across Nigeria should not be questioned or restricted.

He reiterated that his visit to Ibadan was focused on seeking solutions to the country’s security challenges and should not be viewed through political or regional lenses.