A Bauchi Chief Magistrate Court yesterday granted bail to the Chief Imam of Dutsen Tanshi Jumaat Mosque, Dr Idris Abdulaziz, who has been arraigned by the police for making comments capable of inciting public unrest in his sermon.
Chief Magistrate Abdulfatah Sekoni, on Tuesday, granted him N1m bail with three sureties in the like sum who must be his district head, a permanent secretary in state service, and a renowned Islamic scholar in the state.
He said the remand order earlier made on Monday was to allow the court to study the First Information Report (FIR) and the circumstances surrounding the case.
The magistrate explained that having meticulously gone through the case, it was ideal to grant the applicant bail as to do otherwise would amount to injustice to him.
Ex-police officers protest in Bauchi, seek exit from PenCom
Arsenal’s Balogun switches from England to United States
The court has adjourned the case till May 24 for hearing.
Meanwhile, the Students Committee of Imam Idris Abdulaziz under the auspices of Dutsen Tanshi Majlis Foundation Nigeria has appealed to his followers and other sympathisers to remain calm and not to embark on protests or any act that might breach the peace in the state.
A statement signed by the President of the Students Committee, Yau Idris, said that the appeal became necessary in order to avert a development whereby the situation would be hijacked by hoodlums.