Police Withdraw Wanted Notice On Bauchi Cleric After Ribadu’s Intervention

The Bauchi State Police Command has dropped the wanted notice on Dr Idris Abdulaziz, an Islamic cleric, for “contempt of court” following the intervention of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.

The Inspector General of Police had ordered Bauchi police to recall the cleric, who is also the Chief Imam of Dutsen Tanshi Jumaat mosque, and to issue a Special Gazette Bulletin, urging anybody with knowledge about the cleric’s whereabouts to report to the state police command or the closest police station.

The Islamic cleric had campaigned against Governor Bala Mohammed in the last year’s governorship election in the state.

Mr Abdulaziz supported Muhammad’s main opponent, Abubakar Sadiq of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the 18 March 2023 election.

His lawyer, Ahmad Musa, had said the cleric fled into exile after security agents raided his Dutsen Tanshi residence in the Bauchi metropolis on 24 January to execute a search warrant.

But the NSA intervened in the fight between the Bauchi governor and the cleric.

Auwal Musa Mohammad, the Commissioner of Police, led the signing of a peace agreement between Abdulaziz and the Bauchi State government at the state police headquarters, according to a statement by the police spokesperson, SP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil.

The Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice of Bauchi State, the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and others observed the peace agreement.

The statement partly reads: “The Commissioner of Police expressed his unequivocal appreciation to the governor of Bauchi State, Sen. Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir, for honouring the call of NSA and other relevant stakeholders for the peace accord and maintained that the written commitment that was signed would be judiciously observed by the parties concerned.

“Malam Idris Abdulaziz Dutsen Tanshi should understand that while he enjoys the right to freedom of speech, he should not use the pulpit as a platform to insult or make derogatory and abusive statements against preachers/clerics.

“He should strive to foster an atmosphere of peace and harmony within the community through his preaching, regardless of differences in opinion or religious beliefs. It is, therefore, imperative that he respects constituted authority henceforth.”