Bauchi Commissioner, Imam bicker over threat to life

• Nuhu Zaki Petitions, DSS Over ‘Defamation’
Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Bauchi State, AbdulRasak Nuhu Zaki, has petitioned the Nigerian Police and Department of Security Service (DSS) to investigate an allegation made by a popular Imam, Malam Idris AbdulAziz.

A copy of the petition was made available to The Guardian, last Friday by the Commissioner’s lawyer, Enikanolaye Damilola Esq., who said the cleric accused the Governor and government of Bauchi State of planning to destroy and kill him.

Zaki said in the petition that the allegations were “totally spurious, false and mischievous.” He vowed to do everything possible within the law to pursue the case to a logical conclusion.

The petition reads in parts: “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, Apriil 2, 2021, the said Imam Idris Abdulaziz or Malam Idris, as he is commonly called, dedicated the better part of his sermon to unleash 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.”

Zaki claimed that the alleged diatribe by the Imam was triggered by their political differences, saying he waited for an apology from the cleric, but it never came.

“Based on this development, our client has decided to forward the matter to security agencies for investigation and possible prosecution…”

But Imam Abdulaziz said: “Yes, it is true that I disclosed in my sermon that Bauchi State governor and his Commissioner Nuhu Zaki had perfected plans to eliminate me. I have the audio messages and a written article they published, as well as other evidences and exhibits about the plan at my disposal.

“In the series of audio messages, which Nuhu Zaki released about me, there was a part where he said they would destroy me. In another part, he said would explode me. There was also a part where he vowed to ensure that my mouth gushes blood.

“You can destroy a person with either a bomb, a gun or with a vehicle. You can equally explode with an explosive or firearm. And when you talk of gushing blood, it also connotes killing because there are some animals that when you kill them, blood gushes from their mouths, such as like dogs and cats…”