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Bauchi Government official, Islamic Cleric at war over threat to life, defamatory utterance, Commissioner petition Police as cleric claims threat to life

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A cold war is brewing between officials of Bauchi State Government and a popular Islamic preacher in the state, Imam Idris Abdulaziz as the duo have been engaged in accusation and counter accusation. 
While the State Commissioner for Local Governments & Chieftaincy Affairs, Nuhu Zaki petitioned the State Police Command over alleged defamatory statements made against him by the popular cleric, Imam Idris Abdul’aziz in his tafsir during the recent Ramadan fasting period, the Imam on the other hand alleged that there has been threat to assassinate him.
Checks revealed that there has been exchange of words in the past few weeks between the duo over alleged defamatory comments made against the Commissioner and his principal, Governor Bala Mohammed. 
In a press statement made available to newsmen in Bauchi at the weekend , Nuhu Zaki declared that he would do everything possible within the law to pursue the case to a logical conclusion. 
He stated in the petition that, “Sequel to our presentation this afternoon of the Complaint by Honourable Abdurrazak Nuhu Zaki against Imam Idris Abdul’aziz Dutsin -Tanshi to the Police High Command and other relevant authorities in Bauchi State.
The petition further contained that, “Discerning observers especially in Bauchi State may recall that on the eve of the just concluded Ramadan fasting for the year 2021/1442 A.H. precisely on Friday 2 April 2021, the said Imam Idris Abdulaziz or Malam Idris as he is commonly called dedicated thebetter part of his sermon to unleashing yet another diatribe on the person, character and standing of Honourable Abdurrazak Nubu Zaki  as well as the government of Bauchi State”.
“In fact, the highlight of Malam Idris diatribe was very weighty, sensitive but baseless criminal allegations to the effect that he is being subjected to repeated threat to his life by our client at the behest of His Excellency the Governor of Bauchi State,” he stated. 
The Commissioner who alleged that the alleged diatribe by the Imam was as a result of their political differences, stated that he waited for an apology from the cleric but it never came. 
He stated that, “In the spirit of the holy season of Ramadan fasting which was around the corner at that material time, our client heeded the wise counsel of our elders among who are prominent Islamic scholars to stay action on this quite serious, defamatory and dammingallegations at least for the period of the fasting”. 
“Based on this development, our client has decided to forward the matter to security agencies for investigation and possible prosecution. We reiterate our client’s commitment to doing everything possible under the laws of land to pursue the case to its logical conclusion,” the petition further contained.
But In his defense, the Cleric alleged that the Governor and his Commissioner for local government and Chieftaincy Affairs threatened his life, adding that he has evidence to prove that his life was actually threatened by the government officials.
Imam Abdulaziz said that, “Yes, it is true that I disclosed in my sermon the plan by Bauchi state Governor and his Commissioner, Nuhu Zaki perfected to eliminate me. I have the audio messages and a written article they published as well as other evidences and exhibit about the plans at my disposal”.
He further alleged that, “In the series of audio messages which Nuhu Zaki released about me there was a part where he said they will destroy me, in another part, he said he will explode me and  there is another part where he vowed to ensure that my mouth gushes blood” .
“When you take the word destroy, you can destroy a person with either a bomb, a gun or with a vehicle. You can equally explode with an explosive or firearm. When you talk of gushing blood, it also connotes killing because there are animals that when you kill them, blood gushes from their mouths like dog and cat”, he further claimed. 
Imam Abdulaziz further disclosed that he has other evidences of the threats which he said he will not disclosed to the public except to security agents or court of law at the appropriate time.
The Islamic Cleric explained that, “One of the reason why I am accusing Governor Bala Mohammed is because Nuhu Zaki who is a Commissioner and cabinet member made his series of public outburst and threats, but the state government did not come out and dissociate itself from the utterances. Silence is acceptable because the commissioner’s remarks were boldly defending the government”.
He said that, “Up till now neither the Governor or  government has not come out to say that the utterances are views of Nuhu Zaki and his position. The silence of the government reaffirm our belief that Nuhu Zaki cannot come out and issue threatening words especially, those choice of words without the backing of his principal, Governor Mohammed,”. 
While Responding to the petition, he said that,  “They have the right to to ask the Police to investigate the matter and whenever I am invited by the security operatives, I will honor the invitation and defend myself” .
He however claimed that, “The issue is nothing but the role we played in bringing this administration to power. Because we needed to address bad governance in Bauchi state, we rejected the immediate past government and voted Bala Mohammed into power” .
“When he came on board, we did not see the change we yearned for and in order to save our integrity in the face of people, we urged them to vote him to power, we are coming out public to point the problems for them to rectify. Instead of them to listen and correct the anomalies in good faith, they termed our observation evil with their machinations”the Cleric added.
Idris Abdulaziz said that, “I came out during my sermon and digested the successes and problems with a view to draw their attention to address the problems because they have enough time to correct them but unfortunately they turned it upside down and lunched their threat to intimidate me, forgetting that we used the same platform to educate the people to use their franchise and change bad administration in Bauchi”.
It is however believed that prominent indegenes of the state are making frantic efforts to reconcile the warring parties because according to one of the elders who spoke to our Correspondent pleading anonymity, very soon the issue will be amicably resolved.

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