Metro

Alleged Blasphemy: Shariah Court Orders Arrest Of Embattled Bauchi Imam

Published

2 years ago

May 31, 2023

The Upper Shariah Court of Appeal No 1 sitting in Bauchi on Wednesday issued a warrant of arrest against the embattled Imam of Dutsen-Tanshi Jumma’at Mosque in Bauchi, Idris Abdul’aziz, over his failure to appear before the court.

The embattled cleric was initially arraigned before the Bauchi Magistrate Court 1 by the state Commissioner of Police for alleged incitement to public disturbance of peace and blasphemy.

Upon his arraignment, he was remanded at the Bauchi correctional centre before he was eventually granted bail.

The police had arraigned him before the court following a petition written against him, alleging that during one of his Tafsir sessions during this year’s holy month of Ramadan he made blasphemous comments against Prophet Mohammed and some notable Sufi clerics.

However, the case was transferred to the Upper Shariah Court of Appeal 1 Bauchi for trial.

When the case was called during the court’s sitting on Wednesday, the cleric was absent in court, with the prosecuting counsel, Aliyu Bn Idris, saying that the defendant’s absence was deliberate.

The defence counsel, however, Barrister Sadiq Abubakar Ilelah, however, informed the court that the cleric was not in court due to his sickness and pleaded for an adjournment to enable Idris to come to court.

In a bench ruling, the presiding judge, Hussaini Turaki, held that Idris’ failure to come to court despite being issued with a summon to that effect amounts to contempt of court.

He subsequently issued a bench warrant for the cleric’s arrest with a view to forcing him to appear before court at the next adjourned date.

Turaki then adjourned the case to Monday, June 5, 2023.

Speaking with journalists after the adjournment of the case, counsel to Idris, Barrister Ilellah attributed his absence in court to an undisclosed ailment, saying that, “The Imam was sick. That is why he could not attend the court sitting.”

Ilelah informed the defence had filed a motion, seeking an adjournment to enable the cleric to appear on the next adjourned date.

According to him, “the judge refused our plea that our client be given another opportunity to appear before the court, arguing that he disrespected the summons of the court.”

The prosecuting counsel, Idris explained to journalists that the case was transferred from Magistrate Court 1 to the Upper Shariah Court of Appeal in order to start afresh and lamented that the cleric was not in court for the commencement of trial.

“Unfortunately, the defendant could not come to court, but they have filed a notice of preliminary objection, challenging the jurisdiction of the court.

“However, we argue that he is supposed to appear before the court before they move their motion.

“We applied for a bench warrant to be issued against him since he has refused to come to court, and the court ruled in that favour,” the prosecutor said.

Metro

16-year-old Killed As NDLEA Operatives, Drug Barons Clash In Edo

Published

8 minutes ago

October 30, 2025

Editor

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Edo State Command, and drug barons reportedly clashed at Okpuje, Uzeba community in Owan West Local Government Area, leading to the death of a 16 -years -old boy, identified as Emmanuel Monday George.

Two others identified as God’spower Omage (20 years) and Ajayi Irobia (54 years), were said to have sustained serious injuries during the gun duel which reportedly happened on Monday.

Mitchell Ofoyeju, state commander of the NDLEA disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Benin on Thursday.

Ofoyeju said that one of its officers sustained an injury after being struck on the hand with a sharp object.

Recall that Army and NDLEA officers were recently attacked by drug barons in the agrarian community, notable for cannabis cultivation.

Metro

JUST IN: Fire Guts Store At Abuja Mall

Published

3 hours ago

October 30, 2025

Editor

A fire incident occurred at the Jabi Lake Mall, Abuja in the early hours of Thursday.

The cause of the fire, which started around 3am, could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report.

It was gathered that only the Adidas Sports shop was affected.

It was further gathered that firefighters from the Federal Fire Service, the Berger Fire Department, and the FCT Fire Service, as well as police officers, were deployed to the scene.

A resident of Jabi, Saliu, who informed our correspondent of the incident, said the fire had been contained.

He said, “Around 3am., this morning, there was a fire incident at the Jabi Lake Mall in Abuja. No loss of life or injury was recorded. Only the Adidas Sports shop was affected by the fire.”

The FCT police spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, confirmed the incident to The PUNCH.

Adeh said police officers were deployed to the location to secure the area and prevent looting.

“We received a distress call at about 3:40 a.m. We immediately deployed our men there to secure the place and prevent any breach of public order,” she said.

Metro

JUST IN: Hausa, Benin Youths Clash Over Killing Of Suspected Yahoo Boy

Published

16 hours ago

October 29, 2025

Editor

Photo: file copy

Several persons were on Wednesday night injured in a clash between Hausa and Benin youths, in Ogheghe community, Egor Local Government Area of Edo State, over the killing of a suspected yahoo boy identified as Chizi Benz.

According to sources, Chizi Benz was said to have been stabbed to death by a Hausa youth over a sour deal.

Though details of the deal were not available as at press time, the killing of Chidi Benz sparked outrage as youths stormed the streets with dangerous weapons in a revenge mission.

According to sources, many ‘Abokis’ were injured in a reprisal attack while others fled for safety.

News of the killing was to have spread to nearby communities of Uwelu along the Siluko Axis, forcing Hausa youths who do petty trading and rides okada closed their businesses and fled for safety.

According to sources, policemen who were deployed to the area fired tear gas to disperse the angry youths.

Edo Police Spokesman, Moses Yamu, who confirmed the incident, promised to send a detailed statement.

He was yet to do so as at press time.