The Chief Imam of Dutsen Tanshi Juma’at Mosque in Bauchi State, Dr Idris Abdulaziz Dutsen Tanshi, is dead.
He died Thursday evening in Bauchi, according to the cleric’s associates.
Mr Tanshi’s death was confirmed by the Dutsen Tanshi Majlis Bauchi, one of the late cleric’s official Facebook handles Thursday evening.
His funeral prayers would be held in Bauchi by 10am on Friday, according to a short statement posted on the mosque’s Facebook page.
This newspaper reports that Mr Tanshi has been suffering an undisclosed illness for sometimes before he died.
It was gathered that the controversial Salafi cleric was flown back from India about a week ago — where he went to treat an undisclosed ailment.
The cleric could not even conduct the annual Tafsir for 2025 Ramadan fasting period obviously because of the protracted illness.
—Jailed for alleged blasphemy—
On May 15, 2023, a Magistrate Court in Bauchi remanded the controversial cleric to prison for alleged disturbance and inciting public unrest.
The cleric was earlier arraigned before the court, according to his counsel, Barrister Umar Hassan.
Mr Hassan said the judge denied him bail and ordered that the cleric be kept in detention and returned to court Tuesday.
The cleric had earlier surrendered to the police before he was docked.
Mr Idris made some blashphemous statements agaisnt the Holy Prophet of Islam during his Ramadan preachments.
The comments generated serious controversy across the country, with some Islamic organisations calling for his arrest.
— Declared wanted by the police—
On February 8, 2024, the Bauchi State Police Command said Dr. Tanshi was wanted for alleged contempt of court.
In a Special Gazette Bulletin issued by the order of the Inspector-General of Police on Thursday, the public was urged to volunteer information about the whereabouts of the cleric to report to the State Police Command or any nearest Police station.
It added that a “handsome reward” awaits any person(s) with information leading to Tanshi’s arrest.
The Upper Shari’a Court 1 sitting in Bauchi metropolis had issued a bench warrant against the renowned Islamic cleric following his refusal to appear before the court to continue his trial in a case of alleged incitement of public disturbance levelled against him.
