‘He’s a comedian,’ Bauchi residents speak on Imam’s alleged removal over Tinubu’s campaign

Residents of Madina Quarters in Bauchi metropolis have described Dahiru Abubakar, popularly known as “Jejiwe Danmalam”, as a comedian and content creator seeking public visibility to attract the attention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other politicians for financial support.

The residents disputed his claim that he was removed from his position as an imam at a mosque in the area for allegedly campaigning for the re-election of President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Some residents who spoke to journalists insisted that Abubakar was not the substantive imam of the mosque in question, while others described him as someone who occasionally led prayers when the regular imam was absent.

However, Abubakar maintained that he was removed from the mosque where he previously led prayers and occasionally delivered sermons, alleging that his campaign for Tinubu contributed to the decision.

Speaking with our correspondent, a resident familiar with the matter, Ibrahim Muhammad, described Abubakar as a controversial figure who, according to him, had associated with politicians across different political parties over the years to curry favour.

Muhammad further alleged that Abubakar had previously criticised Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over the economic hardship in the country before recently declaring his support for the President.

“Everybody knows ‘Jejiwe Danmalam’ as a comedian and controversial figure. He works for almost any political party,” he said.

He further alleged that Abubakar had, a few months earlier, blamed Tinubu for the hardship in the country and criticised the APC.

Muhammad claimed that Abubakar’s political positions appeared to change depending on the circumstances, adding that he believed the latest controversy could be an attempt to attract attention.

He also denied that Abubakar was the substantive imam of the mosque, insisting that the facility already had a recognised religious leader.

He urged journalists and members of the public to exercise caution when disseminating information, particularly as political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections intensify.

“During this political season, everybody will look for ways to attract attention. It is therefore important for journalists to verify information before spreading it,” he said.

He added that religion should not be dragged into political disagreements or used as a means of seeking personal benefits.

Another associate of Abubakar, who also resides in the neighbourhood, corroborated the position that he was not the substantive imam of the mosque, stressing that Abubakar only led prayers when the regular imam was unavailable.

“He is not the substantive Imam of the mosque. He only leads prayers when the actual imam is absent. That is all,” the associate said.

Similarly, Adamu Garba, another resident of Madina Quarters, disputed the claim that Abubakar served as the imam of the mosque.

Garba, who said he lived along the street near Barden Gabas School, where the mosque is reportedly located, said residents had also heard reports circulating in the community.

However, Abubakar maintained that he was removed from the mosque where he previously led prayers and occasionally delivered sermons.

In his account, he clarified that the mosque was a small neighbourhood mosque and not a Jumu’ah mosque where Friday congregational prayers are held, contrary to some descriptions of the incident.

“Yes, it is true that I was removed from the mosque where I used to lead prayers and deliver sermons from time to time. This happened as a result of my support for Bola Tinubu,” he said.

Abubakar explained that his defence of President Tinubu, particularly on issues relating to the country’s security situation, had contributed to disagreements with some people in the community.

He said his support for the President was perceived by his critics as being too strong and identified a disagreement over a proposed change to the mosque’s name as another factor that contributed to the dispute.

According to him, he had suggested renaming the mosque from “Abdurrahman Bin Zuhairu” to “Sheikh Imam Bola Ahmed Tinubu Mosque”, a proposal he said was not well received.

“The second reason for my removal is that I requested that the mosque be renamed ‘Sheikh Imam Bola Ahmed Tinubu Mosque’. That suggestion was not well received,” he said.

Responding to allegations that his position was motivated by a desire for money or public attention, Abubakar maintained that his support for President Tinubu was genuine.

He insisted that, irrespective of his critics’ opinions, he liked the President and remained committed to supporting him ahead of the 2027 general elections.