A mosque committee in Bauchi metropolis has reportedly removed its imam, Dahiru Abubakar, following repeated disagreements over his alleged involvement in political activities within and around the place of worship.

Abubakar, who served at Masjid Abdullahi Bin Zubbair in Madina Quarters, was accused of using his post-prayer sermons to express support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

The controversy reportedly intensified on Sunday after Abubakar allegedly spoke in support of Tinubu following the early morning Subhi prayer, despite previous warnings from the mosque committee.

Mosque committee explains decision

The chairman of the mosque committee, Imam Abubakar Jibrin, said the decision to remove Abubakar was not simply because of his political preference but because of what the committee considered repeated attempts to introduce political activities into the mosque.

According to Jibrin, the imam allegedly gathered people outside the mosque to discuss political issues and sometimes used the mosque itself for similar discussions.

“Our major challenge with him was not only his campaign for Tinubu but the way and manner he gathered many people in front of the mosque and sometimes entered the mosque purposely to discuss politics,” he said.

Imam reportedly ignored repeated warnings

Jibrin explained that the committee had warned Abubakar several times against turning the mosque into a platform for political discussions.

He maintained that mosques should remain places dedicated to the worship of Allah and should not be used for political meetings or campaigning.

The committee chairman acknowledged the importance of politics in determining the country’s leadership but argued that political activities should take place through political parties and their offices rather than in places of worship.

The reported removal has brought attention to questions surrounding the separation of religious activities from partisan politics, particularly as political discussions ahead of the 2027 general election continue to emerge across the country.