In a heartbreaking turn of events, the peace of a morning prayer was shattered by a senseless act of violence in Kano, Northwest Nigeria. Reports indicate that four individuals lost their lives, while twenty others sustained injuries, following an attack on a mosque during morning prayers.
The incident occurred at the Laraba Abasawa mosque in the Gezawa Local Government Area, where an unidentified assailant set fire to the place of worship while worshippers were in the midst of their prayers. Among the casualties were the Imam leading the prayer and three other worshippers who tragically lost their lives in the attack.
Eyewitnesses recounted scenes of chaos and panic as people scrambled to escape the engulfing flames and smoke, desperately trying to rescue those trapped inside the burning mosque. According to a witness interviewed by BBC News Pidgin, the assailant reportedly poured petrol inside the mosque before igniting the fire and locking the doors, trapping worshippers inside.
Dr. Hussaini Muhammad, the chief medical director of Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, where the victims were rushed for treatment, revealed that twenty-four individuals were brought in, with one succumbing to their injuries before reaching the hospital. Survivors suffered severe burns, with some sustaining injuries from head to toe, while others were burnt on their backs and hands.
In a development that sheds light on the motive behind the heinous act, the Kano Police announced the arrest of a suspect believed to be responsible for the attack. The 38-year-old suspect allegedly confessed to setting the mosque ablaze due to family disputes over inheritance, accusing those present at the mosque of unfair treatment in the distribution of family assets.
SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, a spokesperson for the Kano Police, disclosed that the suspect is currently in custody as investigations into the matter continue.
This tragic incident marks the third attack on a mosque in Kano, with memories still fresh of the devastating gun and bomb attack during Juma’at prayers at the Central Mosque in November 2014. The Central Mosque, frequented by influential Muslim leaders such as the Emir of Kano, has been a symbol of religious unity and community in the region.
This is the height of religious intolerance, and security agencies are urged to clamp down on perpetrators of this evil to ensure that our religious places are free from terrorism and incessant attacks.
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