By: Yemi Shola, Bauchi
- Wants Police to investigate hate speech, insults against Sayawa Ethnic group by the Cleric
A group known as Concerned Zaar Patriots (CZP), has accused Sheikh Salisu AA Immam Bauchi of using the cyber space to broadcast hate speech, incitement and criminal insults against the Zaar (Sayawa) ethnic nationality.
The group therefore, petitioned the Nigeria Police Force and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), demanding the immediate investigation of an Islamic scholar, one Sheikh Salisu AA Imam Bauchi, over alarming utterances against the Zaar/Sayawa ethnic nationality.
The petition, signed and released on Friday, in Bauchi by Hon. Ishaya Dangana and addressed to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) was dated September 11, 2025.
According to the CZP, the Zaar (Sayawa) ethnic nationality are peace-loving, law-abiding and progressive-oriented citizens of Nigeria, hence, the action of the Islamic cleric against them violated Extant Criminal Laws of the country.
“The Concerned Zaar Patriots (CZP) comprises of a group of Nigerians indigenous to Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Local Government Areas of Bauchi State,” the CZP said.
Hon. Dangana further stated that the move was part of discharging their constitutional obligations as citizens, stressing that, “We hereby submit this petition against one Sheikh Salisu AA Imam Bauchi, a religious cleric and public commentator based in Bauchi State, for engaging in hate speech, ethnic incitement, and cyber-harassment, etc, contrary to the provisions of the cybercrimes (Prohibition, prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, particularly Sections 24 and 26, and other applicable criminal laws.”
CZP expressed fears that “the Islamic Clergy has begun to mobilize those who share his barbaric sentiments against our great people and if he’s allowed to toe his current path, it will reach an extent where our people will be left with no other option than to resort to avoidable self-help in defence.”
The CZP recalled that about December 9, 2024, the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, made a public pronouncement, declaring the resolve of his administration to establish the long awaited Zaar (Sayawa) Chiefdom with its Headquarters in Tafawa Balewa town of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area.
According to the petition, following the proclamation by the Governor, Sheikh Salisu AA Imam Bauchi made public statements via electronic and social media platforms (particularly on TikTok account bearing @ibn_imamo via https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSDe6qek1/) in which he directed hateful, offensive and inciting remarks toward the Zaar (Sayawa) ethnic nationality.
The CZP said in the content which was disseminated via online platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, Sheikh Salisu AA Immam Bauchi called the Zaar (Sayawa) people as infidels and Pagans (arna/kafirai) without provocation or any justification whatsoever.
Hon Dangana stated that the statements of the sheikh included ethnically discriminatory language, religiously demeaning, disparaging and disreputable to the collective image, dignity, reputation and psyche of the entire Zaar people.
He also said that the action and nasty utterances of the Islamic cleric implied an explicit calls for the marginalization and exclusion of the Zaar people from sociopolitical processes, by denying them the well-deserved Chiefdom among other things.
The CZP warned that the actions of the Islamic cleric has begun to generate ethnic tension among the Za’ar people, especially in Tafawa Balewa, Bogoro, and surrounding LGAs.
“We greatly fear that the comments of the Sheikh are capable of generating additional tension in our area, considering the present tensed atmosphere cause by the recent events which claimed the lives of about four (4) of our people”, he said.
The CZP added that about the 5th September, 2025 the same cleric repeated the same hate speech, insults and disparaging remarks against the zaar ethnic nationality which was shared via one Zamani TV Facebook page via https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1CKEXZb2BN/?mibextid=oFDknk.
The petition frowns at the rational behind the Sheikh’s sustained misleading information, demonstrating willful intention to fabricating and furthering ethno religious ideologies capable of serious harm, incitement to violence, cyber crimes, hate speech aimed at discrediting the entire Zaar ethnic nationality on social media platforms.
CZP disclosed that the inciting publications of the sheik are still in circulation and has attracted widespread condemnation by the overwhelming majority of Nigerians, especially members of the zaar ethnic nationality some of whom may resort to unwholesome activities to vent their grievance over it if action is not taken against him by the government.
The petition therefore, urged the IGP to promptly investigate and take preventive measures to avert the situation escalated
into a bigger security threat within T-Balewa/Bogoro LGAs of Bauchi state and the country at large.
The petitioners informed that presently there are both Christians, Muslims and traditionalists including those who professes no religion living together in peace and harmony in Tafawa Balewa local government area contrary to Sheikh Salisu’s false claims.
“We are therefore greatly aggrieved and agitated by the vituperations of the sheikh who keeps attacking our ethnic nationality with unprintable names contrary to extant provisions of applicable laws governing our dear country Nigeria and we submit that the Sheik in issue is not above the laws of Nigeria”, the CZP said.
The CZP while thanking Governor Bala Mohammed of the state for his developmental strides in Bauchi State especially his peace initiatives in both T/Balewa and Bogoro LGAs, also commended his prompt leadership intervention that prevented the escalation of crisis in the areas following recent attacks.
The group demanded for launch a thorough and full-scale investigation into the cyber activities and communications of Sheikh Salisu AA Imam Bauchi, especially as it relates to his continuous vitriol against our people.
It also called for the retrieval and forensically analyze the digital materials (audio, video, social media posts) constituting the hate speech and ethnic incitement by the said Sheikh as well as arrest and osecute the suspect, if found culpable, in line with applicable laws.
It assured to collaborate with all other security agencies to monitor and dismantle any online networks promoting ethnic or religious violence against the peace loving Nigerians.
It further recommended the issuance of a public warning or restraining order, as appropriate, to prevent further incitement particularly by the said sheikh and whoever shares his sentiments or may wish to tore his unlawful path and take such further or other actions that are necessarily relevant in the context of what happened.
The group concluded that This petition is submitted in the interest of peace, justice, harmony and national security.
It stated that, “We trust in the professionalism of the Nigeria Police Force and commitment to upholding law and order.
Prompt action will not only serve justice but help prevent communal violence and promote cyber accountability in Nigeria as a whole.”
