In a shocking incident in the Gezawa area of Kano State, a mosque was set on fire by a 38-year-old man named Shafi’u Abubakar.
The incident occurred on a Wednesday morning during the Subhi prayers when the worshippers were inside the mosque. Abubakar reportedly locked the mosque, doused it with petrol, and ignited the fire.
The Kano State Police Command spokesperson, SP Abdullahi Haruna, confirmed the incident and reported that the main suspect, Abubakar, has been arrested. He also stated that there have been no fatalities reported so far.
According to SP Haruna, Abubakar confessed to the crime, stating that his motive was to seek revenge against those who he believed had wronged him during the division of an inheritance.
The police have cordoned off the scene of the incident. Twenty-four victims, including 20 men and 4 boys, were evacuated from the scene and rushed to Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital in Kano for treatment.
SP Haruna further stated, “On 15/05/2024, at approximately 0520hrs, we received reports of an explosion at a mosque in Gadan Village, Gezawa LGA, Kano State, during the Subhi Prayer. Several people were reported injured.”
Upon receiving the report, the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Mohammed Usaini Gumel, promptly dispatched a combined team of experts in Explosive Ordnance Disposal Chemical Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) led by CSP Haruna Isma’il and other Crime-Scene Policemen led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Gezawa Division, CSP Haruna Iliya.
Preliminary forensic analysis suggests a petrol explosion, and a full investigation is currently underway. The suspect, Shafi’u Abubakar, who claimed his actions were driven by a long-standing family dispute over inheritance, is currently in police custody. A detailed investigation is ongoing and will be made public in due course,” SP Haruna concluded.
