Bauchi — Renowned Islamic scholar, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi and leader of Tijjaniyya and West Africa, has denied reports that his group reached an agreement with members of the Izala sect during the just concluded Hajj exercise in Saudi Arabia.

Addressing newsmen in Bauchi yesterday, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi said, "We read in the newspapers that we set aside our differences and reunited with the Izala sect. It's not true. What happened was that we went to Makkah together, we sat together and held fruitful discussions about our differences, and I told them that my group will only reunite with them if they fulfil three conditions. The conditions are: they should stop calling a Muslim Kufr (unbeliever,) they should recognize Muslims all over the world as their brothers and sisters and they should stop abusing the exalted servants of Allah.

After I told them that, the Izala sect replied that they have reduced the calling of Muslims Kufr (unbelievers) by 65 per cent, so I told them to bring back the remaining 35 per cent before we can reconcile. That's all. All efforts to speak to the national chairman of Jama'atu Izalatul Bidi'a Wa Iqamatussunah, Sheikh Bala Lau, failed as his phone was switched off at the time of filing this report.