Gumi’s detention:
Why is the federal government keeping mute?

By MOHAMMED IBRAHIM
Posted: Sunday, July 4, 2010

Saudi Arabian based  renowned  Islamic scholar, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Gumi, was  on 24 February,2010 arrested and detained by the  Saudi Arabian authorities in Riyadh .So far no  reason was given by the officials of the Kingdom for his arrest. But he was said to have been  recently released from detention and again placed under House arrest in Mecca. 

When the news of his arrest was reported in the Nigerian media,  weeks after his arrest in Mecca, many people, particularly Muslims here in Nigeria, classified the news as a mere  speculation and rumour  circulated in order to tarnish the scholar’s good image and to also create confusion in the minds of his admirers.

Their argument is that how could a man who had lived and studied in that country for about 21 years and who is still lecturing in one of the famous universities in the kingdom be arrested on a mere speculation.

But as weeks after weeks go by  without the Saudi authourities  giving any reasons for his arrest and detention and without him being  released,  some religious bodies  back home became worried as all their efforts to verify his arrest proved abortive. They  contacted  the Nigerian Ambassador in Saudi, Alhaji Abdullahi Garba Aminci,  to assist in finding out from  the Saudi Arabian authourities why   the scholar was  detained in the first place before being placed under house arrest.

It was later discovered that his arrest was not unconnected with the Nigerian born 23 year -old Farouk Umar Mutallab who attempted to bomb a plane in Detroit, U.S.A on 25th December, 2010.It was gathered that barely a month after the boy was arrested in that failed suicide attempt, investigators came across some emails which were said to have been exchanged between Dr. Ahmad Gumi and the young Umar. After which the scholar was said to have been invited by the Saudi Arabian police intelligence for interrogation under the instruction of the American government.

It was also leant at another quarters  that it was the boy’s  father who  having noticed his boy’s radical ideology towards the west  asked Dr Gumi to help him talk to his boy by preaching to him in order to change his mentality on religion extremism. Dr Gumi who everybody knows does not subscribe to radical Islam accepted to help by exchanging emails with the boy  so that they could communicate better because they both live in different Arab countries. While Dr Gumi is based in Saudi Arabia, the boy was then attending school in Dubai.

It was gathered  that some of the  emails  exchanged between  Dr Gumi and Farouk Umar  were  believed to have been discovered by the American investigators in Umar’s  personal computers and that was what they used as a yardstick to order the Saudi authorities to arrest the scholar.With all these theories going round, the American government  neither refuted nor commented on the issue.

“We wish to place it on record that Sheikh Ahmad Gumi had lived and studied in Saudi Arabia for the last 21 years without any cause for the authorities to complain against him. However, now that he has become a victim of circumstance, we wish to avail ourselves of this opportunity to inform President Goodluck Jonathan that Sheikh Gumi is very tolerant in all his religious activities and teachings and very well disposed to even followers of other faiths,” This was contained in a statement issued to newsmen in Kaduna at press conference organized by a group of Islamic Scholars who called themselves “Free Ahmed Gumi Committee”.

It was a group purposely  formed to advocate  the release of the sheikh.The chairman of the committee,  Sheikh Abubakar Imam Ikara, at the news conference  said so far  the rights of the Islamic scholar had been   seriously violated by the Saudi government, having spent three months in police custody, saying   it’s time for him to be released.

According to the statement, Sheikh Gumi has never been part of the emerging new currents of Islam in the Middle East or elsewhere and does not subscribe to “radical’’ Islam, adding that the Sheikh denounces suicide bombing as a political tool because it is alien to Islam and therefore not compatible with the teachings of the Quran and sunnah, the two major sources upon which the sheikh based his teachings.

The committee also urged the Federal Government, particularly President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, to intervene and pressurize the Saudi Arabian government to release the respected scholar who is currently under house arrest in the city of Mecca.

They  equally called  on the Senate President, David Mark, Speaker Dimeji Bankole, Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, and all other politicians and religious bodies in the country  to be part of the call for the immediate release of the scholar.

In his  contribution, Kano State based Islamic Scholar, Sheikh Mohammed bn Usman, said the internationally based scholar, Dr Ahmad Gumi, had never been indicted on any offence; rather he spent most of his time preaching peace, togetherness, understanding, humility and sincerity , saying he had been a contributing factor to the peace and stability of Nigeria as his father used to do.

According to the scholar who  sighted examples where foreigners would commit offence in another country and their governments would stand behind them to  make sure  they were well treated the reverse is the case with Gumi’s case because he was not found wanting in any way.  In fact, with  the way and manner Dr. Gumi’s case is being handled without any strong pressure on Saudi Authorities from Nigerian government to release the respected scholar is questionable.

“We believe that any peace loving Nigerian will support the call that will lead to his release quickly. Especially now that Ramadan is fast approaching we want to see him back in Nigeria. We hope all those concerned  would do their best to ensure that his release is effected,” bn Usman said.

Sheikh Bn Usman further stated that Nigerian Muslims are peace loving people and so they will use all peaceful means to secure his release soonest.

Also a member of the committee, Ustaz Ishaq Yunus,  expressed optimism that soon the scholar would gain back his freedom but said a lot needed  to be done by all those  concerned about his freedom.According to him, as Muslims, they believe in Allah’s trials on his servants.”We believe what is happening to Dr Ahmad Gumi is a trial  from Allah and we hope he will get through  it by keeping faith in Allah. Because He will be the One to make him overcome his ordeals.”  

However,  the  lackadaisical attitude shown by Nigerian government and some religious bodies like the Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria and Jama’atul Nasril Islam on the case made many  doubt their sincerity. Their attitude made Muslims ask  questions after questions like  why is Nigerian government  still  quiet on the case? Why is Nothern Governors Forum [NGF],Jama’atu and Supreme Council still foot -dragging on the case?Is Dr Ahmad not a Nigerian, and a very respected one for that matter? If he is, then why is he abandoned?

And Why are Saudi authorities still keeping him under house arrest despite discovering he is innocent of the offence? Nigerians also want to know the role the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and those of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and  House of Representatives Committee on Nigerians in Diaspora played or are playing to secure his freedom?

Nigerian Muslims expect these committees, particularly the Federal Government to use all the connections, strength, power and all other means necessary to pressurize the U.S government to remove Nigeria’s name from the world terrorist countries in pressurizing the Saudis to release Dr Gumi. We all know the role recently played by the  House of Representatives Committee on Nigerians in Diaspora  headed by the respected broadcaster, Abike Dabiri, in securing freedom to some Nigerians from Libyan prison.We also hope she will do same to free Dr Gumi.

While we wait for answers to these questions, underground talks with the Saudis is believeds to be ongoing. We hope and believe such talks will yield positive result. So that at the end of the talk, Malam would gain back his freedom and return home to meet his family members and followers who are anxiously waiting to see him back  in  Sultan Bello Mosque Kaduna doing what he knows how to do best {Tafsir}, especially now that the Month of Ramadan is knocking the door or is around the corner, if you like.

As for  now some Nigerians still could not explain why Saudi Arabian government allowed itself to be used by the foreign influence to arrest an innocent fellow who spent most of his life working in  the Kingdom. There are fears  that with the way things are going in regard to the case, if proper measures are  not taken he may end up spending years in detention. And if it happens God forbid, it will portray the country and its leaders in bad light.

We hope Muslims and well meaning Nigerians who have benefited and are still benefiting from Dr. Ahmad’s lectures on issues of national interest would continue to pray for his quick release.