Eleven people have died following an attack on a mosque in Gadan village on the outskirts of Gezawa in Kano State, perpetrated by 38-year-old Shafiu Abubakar.
The attack occurred on Wednesday during the early morning prayer.
Abubakar reportedly set the mosque on fire, trapping about 40 worshippers inside. Eyewitnesses and local residents, Rabiu Gadan confirmed that 11 individuals succumbed to their injuries, with eight funerals already conducted and three more bodies being prepared for burial on Thursday.
Gadan, equally noted that this incident was not Abubakar’s first act of violence. Previously, he had assaulted two of his older brothers, then surrendered to the police, claiming he had killed them.
Another resident, Malam Garba, mentioned that despite a prior mental health evaluation declaring him fit, Abubakar continued to display troubled behavior.
Garba told Leadership, “He has always been troubled, but when he challenged his family to give him his portion of the inheritance, they did. He was even taken to a mental institution once when he attacked his relatives but he was given a clean bill of health. So, he was clearly in his right mind when he set the fire, two of his uncles died and we buried them yesterday already.”
The suspect, now in police custody, confessed to the attack, citing frustration over an inheritance dispute with his family as the motive. He claimed his warnings to stop maltreatment went unheeded, leading to his drastic actions.
Injured victims were taken to Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital in Kano, where relatives anxiously awaited updates.
One resident, Maijida, expressed her distress, worrying about her severely injured father and two brothers.
Maijida stated, “My father and two brothers are severely injured and I was told some people have died already, what will I do if I lose them, I will be left all alone.”
Recounting his experience, another resident, Musa Muhammad Gadan revealed, “I was late going to the prayers, but as I was rushing to the mosque, I heard a blasting noise and then I heard people screaming so I rushed over, the flames had engulfed the building, I and some others tried to rescue them and that is how I sustained burns on my arms.”
Deputy Inspector General of Police Umar Mamman Sanda, accompanied by the state’s commissioner of police and the director of the Department of State Services (DSS), confirmed the tragic loss of life during a visit to the scene on Wednesday.
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