CITIZENS COMPASS –A total number of eight worshippers have reportedly died while 28 others sustained varying degrees of burns on Wednesday when a man set ablaze a mosque when some worshippers were praying.
A local source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the number of casualties. He said six were adults, one youth, and a minor.
He said 32 persons were involved in the incident of which 28 were hospitalised with injuries while four had minor injuries.
According to him, “As we speak, we are at the graveyard now. Right from when the incident happened till this moment (evening), about eight persons have died.
“We have buried two while six others are being conveyed for burial. The victims were those rushed to Murtala Specialist Hospital.
“Majority of the victims were in the emergency unit of Murtala Specialist Hospital and others in the main ward. However, I was made to understand that some other persons were later taken to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, AKTH.
“All the worshippers sustained various degrees of injuries. In all, of the victims, 32 and 28 were admitted to the hospital. Those with minor injuries left for their homes.”
Earlier, the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Umar Sanda, had initially confirmed one worshipper dead.
In the company of other security heads, the AIG confirmed the death upon visitation to the hospital, where the victims were hospitalised.
The Commissioner of Police in the state and the Director of the Department of State Service, (DSS), among others, were in attendance.
He said: “What happened is not associated with any act of terrorism but rather, it was a skirmish that happened as a result of inheritance distribution.
“The suspect was said to be not satisfied with the distribution and was reacting to that. He is presently with us and is giving out useful information. Of the 24 that were admitted here, one is dead. It is really unfortunate. He used a locally made bomb to commit the crime.”
Meanwhile, the Kano State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of the suspected arsonist.
The Command revealed the suspect as 38-year-old Shafi’u Abubakar, who set a mosque ablaze and trapped worshipers inside the building at Laraba Abasawa in the Gezawa local government area of the state on Wednesday morning.
Spokesperson for the Command, SP
Haruna Kiyawa, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, said Shafi’u willingly surrendered himself to the Police after committing the act.
“Shafi’u told the Police that he set the mosque on fire out of provocation and to attack those who allegedly cheated him while sharing family inheritance, who were all present in the mosque at the time of the attack.
“The principal suspect has been identified and arrested, he is Shafi’u Abubakar aged 38 years who said his action was purely in hostility following a prolonged family disagreement over sharing of inheritance of which those that he alleged to have cheated on him were in the mosque at that moment and he did that for his voice to be heard.
