Bauchi Imam Returns 3 Months After Fleeing State

Chief Imam of Dutsen-Tanshi Jumma’ah Mosque Bauchi, Dr Idris Abdul’aziz has returned home after spending months in “self-exile”.

The controversial Imam left Bauchi about three months ago after a legal dispute with Fityanul Islam, a pro-Tijjaniyya group, following his alleged blasphemous and inciteful comments on the Prophet of Islam and notable Ɗariqa founding fathers.

Dissatisfied with the comments of the Imam, Fityanul Islam petitioned Dr Abdul’aziz to the Bauchi State Commissioner of Police. Following completion of its investigation, the police charged the Imam to court on alleged disturbance of public peace.

Similarly, at different times, courts in Bauchi remanded the cleric before releasing him on bail after the state attorney general and commissioner of justice took over Dr Abdul’aziz case from the police.
Abdul’aziz returned to Bauchi yesterday through the Jos axis after going into hiding for months.

While he did not make any statement, the Imam was seen waving hands to a crowd of followers who troop out en mass to receive him. Also, the crowd accompanied him to his residence and dispersed.
However, disciples of the Imam through their official Facebook page, praise the Almighty Allah for returning the Imam home safely.

The group, while appealing for calm among followers of the Imam, expressed dogged commitment to propagating the true Sunni teachings in line with authentic traditions of the Prophet.

LEADERSHIP recalls that Imam Abdul’aziz gained credence for openly criticising policies and programmes of the current PDP-led Bauchi State Government, a regime he had severally claimed to have contributed about 70 percent to bring it to power in 2019 but parted ways shortly before last year’s general elections.