A Chief Magistrate court sitting in Bauchi has on Tuesday granted bail to Dr Idris Abdul’azeez of Dutsen Tanshi who was remanded in a Correctional Centre for allegedly inciting public disturbances.
Confirming the bail to WikkTiimes, his counsel Barrister Hassan said the cleric was granted bail at the sum of N1 million with two sureties among which one must be a serving permanent secretary and one district head who has a landed property worth N5 million within the jurisdiction of the court. The sureties must bring two passport photographs and valid means of identification.
Breaking: Bauchi Cleric Accused of “Public Disturbance” Remanded in Prison
Dr Idis was dragged to court by Fitiyanul Islam, a Bauchi-based Islamic group over alleged hate speeches against prominent clerics and Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
He would later be invited by the police for questioning. However, the cleric honoured the invitation on Monday, but he was, thereafter, charged to court.
His counsel, Hassan applied for his bail, but the presiding judge of the court Abdulfatah Baba Sekoni withheld and ordered that the cleric be kept in the correctional centre and appear before the court on Tuesday.
Hassan noted that the counsel to the Bauchi State Ministry of Justice, Barrister Aliyu Idris had applied that the office of the state Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice is going to take over the prosecution of the case from the police, a request that was granted and the case adjourned May 24 for further hearing.
The cleric, during his last month’s Ramadan Quranic program, made some comments that sparked criticism by some Islamic scholars while he was, however, backed by other sections that he was interpreted wrong and insisted on his words.
Meanwhile, his students and other followers in a statement on Monday appealed to the public not to embark on any form of protest or violence that would tarnish the image of the group and the cleric.
