Attack on the Kano mosque: 11 people killed

Of the 24 victims of the attack on the Gezawa Mosque, the Kano State Police Command has confirmed the deaths of eight of them; the remaining 17 are still being treated in the hospital.

Previously, one person’s death was confirmed. Shafiu Abubakar, 38, the suspect, was detained by the police, though, and he later admitted that he had been duped and that his actions were retaliation for a contested inheritance.

Nonetheless, a villager from Rabiu Gadan verified to Leadership that 11 individuals have passed away as a result of their wounds thus far, with eight of their funerals having already taken place and the remains of the other three being readied for burial on Thursday.

Gadan claimed that Abubakar had attacked two of his older brothers before turning himself in to the police and declaring that he had killed them, thus this was not his first violent outburst.

According to SP Abdullahi Haruna, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, who verified the death toll late on Wednesday, seven additional victims passed away while undergoing care at the hospital.

He claimed that the hospital was still treating seventeen other victims.

“The unfortunate incident caused the victims’ injuries, which ultimately led to their death,” stated Haruna.

According to rumors, Abubakar poured petroleum spray throughout the mosque before closing the entrance and starting a fire.

The main suspect is being held by the police and is helping them with the continuing investigation.

Shafi’u Abubakar, 38, is the suspect. He claims that his actions were motivated only by hatred after a protracted family dispute over inheritance distribution. Those he accuses of deceiving him were present in the mosque at the time, and he took that action to make his voice known, according to a police spokesman.

According to Sadik Kamal, who talked with The PUNCH, he tried desperately to flee the mosque as it caught fire, but he discovered that the exit doors were shut.

“It was the latecomers who struggled to open the locked doors to make good the escape of those trapped to safety,” Kamal said.