Eleven people have been confirmed dead from an arson fire attack on a Kano mosque on Wednesday, May 15.
The fire was ignited by 38-year-old Shafiu Abubakar, during early morning prayers in Gadan village, on the outskirts of Gezawa in Kano State.
Inside the mosque at the time were about 40 worshippers.
Mr Shafiu Abubakar brought fuel, poured into the mosque, ignited it, and locked up the doors to prevent any escape. It took a while for those nearby to understand the unfolding tragedy and begin rescue efforts by bursting the doors.
At least 24 persons suffered different degrees of burns. They were taken to the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital in Kano. Eight of the dead have already been buried according to Islamic rites. The bodies of the remaining three are still being prepared for burial, as at Thursday evening according to one Rabiu Gadan, a village resident.
Reason For The Arson
Rabiu mentioned this was not Shafiu’s first act of violence. He previously assaulted two older brothers and surrendered to the police
Another villager, Malam Garba, suggested he has a troubled mind, “He has always been troubled. When he challenged his family over inheritance, they complied. He was once taken to a mental institution after attacking relatives but was declared mentally fit. He was clearly in his right mind when he set the fire, resulting in the death of two uncles, whom we buried yesterday.“
The Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 1 Kano, AIG Umar Mamman Sanda, confirmed the incident. “The suspect was said to be not satisfied with the distribution and was reacting to that. He is presently with us and is giving useful information. It is really unfortunate.”
But the State’s Police Command’s spokesperson, SP Haruna Kiyawa, said Shafiu has given the information.
In a statement, police said Shafi’u set the mosque on fire out of provocation and to attack those who allegedly cheated him while sharing family inheritance. The arsonist said he acted because all those were present in the mosque at the time.
“While the suspect is currently in police custody, detailed investigation is ongoing and will be made public in due course,” the statement said.
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