Bauchi Sharia Commission summons cleric over alleged removal as Imam

The Bauchi State Sharia Commission summoned controversial Islamic cleric Dahiru Abubakar following media reports that he was removed as an imam for campaigning in support of President Bola Tinubu's re-election in 2027. Abubakar appeared before the commission on Wednesday to address allegations of partisanship. Some residents questioned whether Abubakar was indeed an Imam at the Madina Quarters mosque in Bauchi, while others accused him of inflating the incident for political gain.

The commission's Commander of Hisbah, Malam Muhammad Muhammad Bununu, invited Abubakar to clarify the reports and receive guidance on separating religious duties from political activities. Abubakar denied being removed from a major Friday mosque, stating that the mosque in question was a small neighbourhood prayer centre with only two prayer rows.

He accused some media organizations of misrepresenting his comments and apologized to those offended by the controversy, particularly those who believed he was removed from a Juma'at mosque. The cleric also revealed that the mosque had only seven regular worshippers and that the disagreement had since been resolved. Despite the controversy, Abubakar reaffirmed his support for Tinubu and his intention to campaign for the President's re-election in 2027.