Gezawa Mosque attack in Kano State, eight individuals have died following an attack by a man seeking revenge over a disputed inheritance. The attack has left 17 others hospitalized, receiving critical medical care. The Kano State Police Command confirmed these details and identified the suspect as Shafiu Abubakar, 38, who has confessed to the crime.
Abubakar, reportedly motivated by a prolonged family disagreement over inheritance, targeted the mosque where he believed those who cheated him were present. According to a police statement, Abubakar sprayed petroleum around the mosque, locked the doors, and set the building ablaze, causing a devastating fire that trapped and severely injured many worshippers.
Rabiu Gadan, a local resident, provided further insight, confirming that the attack has claimed 11 lives in total. He stated that eight victims had already been buried, with preparations underway for the funerals of the remaining three.
This was not Abubakar’s first violent act. Gadan recalled a previous incident where Abubakar assaulted two of his older brothers and then turned himself in to the police, falsely claiming he had killed them.
The Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Abdullahi Haruna, reported that seven victims succumbed to their injuries while receiving treatment at the hospital. He emphasized that the number of casualties might rise as 17 victims remain in critical condition.
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Eyewitness Sadik Kamal recounted the harrowing moments when the mosque caught fire. Kamal, among those trapped, struggled to escape the locked building. It was only through the desperate efforts of latecomers, who managed to unlock the doors, that some of the trapped worshippers were able to reach safety.
The principal suspect, Shafiu Abubakar, is now in police custody, assisting with the ongoing investigation. The community remains in shock and mourning, grappling with the aftermath of this horrific act born out of familial strife.