May 15, (THEWILL)- At least 20 worshippers were injured on Wednesday after a man, identified as Shafiu Aminu, set a mosque on fire at Laraba Abasawa in Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano State.
Members of the community were observing the ‘Subh’ prayer when the incident happened.
A member of the community told newsmen that “the man used petrol and lit fire while the people, about 40 of them, were praying. He locked the mosque after the fire. It took time for people outside to become aware of the incident and rescue the victims who were struggling to break out.”
The injured victims have been rushed to the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital in Kano.
Spokesperson of the State Police Command, SP Abdullahi Kiyawa, said the suspect has been arrested.
“We received reports of an explosion at a Mosque in Gadan Village, Gezawa LGA, Kano State during ‘Subhi Prayer’ and that some people got injured.
“On receipt of the report, the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Mohammed Usaini Gumel, FIPMA, psc, immediately deployed the Command’s combined teams.
“On arrival, we found 24 persons, including 20 male adults and four male children, who were removed from the burning mosque with burnt injuries.
“They were rushed to Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano where they are currently receiving treatment.
“The 38-year-old suspect confessed to having carried out the action because of a prolonged family disagreement over the sharing of inheritance. He said he decided to set the mosque ablaze after citing those family members who are cheating on him in the mosque,” the police image maker said, adding that a forensic analysis conducted at the preliminary stage of investigation revealed a suspected petrol explosion.
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