Lagos State Govt demolish five mosques for fear of boko haram attack

The Lagos State Government last week demolished five mosques located within the State secretariat in Alausa, Ikeja, following an order by Governor Fashola, banning all religious activities within the secretariat.

The demolition of the mosques was carried out by the government after getting intelligence reports from SSS that the secretariat was vulnerable to attack by Boko Haram as long as the mosques remain within the secretariat.

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Moslem Community denies using mosques and schools to keep arms

Moslem Community in Port Harcourt has denied using its mosques and schools for storing arms and training Islamic militants to attack citizens.

Alhaji Sarki Gabas, a religious and community leader, made the denial in an interview with NAN on Thursday in Port Harcourt.

Gabas was reacting to news reports linking some Muslims in Port Harcourt to alleged terrorist activities.

“It is not true that Victoria Street (in Port Harcourt) Mosque is being used for training Islamic militants and it is not true also that the Islamic school in Mile 3 houses militants and that Elelenwa Mosque is used as armoury.

“All these are lies. We do not believe in violence,’’he said, advising media practitioners to exercise caution and cross-check their facts before publishing.

He said that Christians and Moslems in Port Harcourt had been doing business and living together in peace.

“The Koran says that if you kill one innocent person, it is like you killed a whole nation. “The same thing applies in the holy Bible,” he stated.

Gabas advised residents of the state to embrace each other as God-fearing people.

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Lagos demolishes three mosques and relocates churches

Following an order by Governor Babatunde Fashola, banning religious activities within Lagos State secretariat, the state government, weekend, demolished over three mosques and relocated churches in the state secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.

Fashola, in the order, had based the decision on the need to strengthen security at the secretariat in view of the spate of bomb attacks in some parts of the country and urged devotees to use the central mosque and the secretariat chapel for their prayers.

The mosques, which were reduced to rubbles, were located behind Ministries of Justice, Finance, Environment while the one behind the state Public Service Commission, PSC, which was not demolished but its entrance completely blocked.

When Vanguard visited the secretariat, Muslim faithful, who frequently pray at the affected mosques, were seen in groups discussing the development.

It was further learnt that the demolition was carried out weekend to avoid violent reaction.

It was further learnt that efforts by Muslims, who are members of the state executive council to make the governor have a rethink on the decision they considered anti-Islam fell on deaf ears.

Sources said the Commander of the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, Mr Hakeem Odumosu, had alerted the governor on the need to carry out the measure due to the possibility of Boko Haram sect attacking from places of worship.

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Man Jailed For 1 Month For Wearing Shoes Inside Mosque

A 32-year old applicant, Ahmed Hassan, has been sentenced to one month imprisonment by an Abuja Senior Magistrates’ Court for wearing shoes into a mosque in Nyanya.

The Senior Magistrate, Mrs Nkwadimi Buba, however, gave Hassan an option of N2,000 fine.

Earlier, the police prosecutor, Cpl. Silas Nanpan, had told the court that the crime was reported to the Nyanya Police Station on Nov. 26 by one Umar Safe of Tipper Garage, Nyanya.

Nanpan said that the convict on Nov. 25 trespassed into the mosque and lay down there with his shoes on, knowing that the act was un-Islamic.

The convict could not give a satisfactory account of his action, he said, adding that the offence of criminal trespass contravened Section 348 of the Penal Code.

When the case came up for mention, Hassan pleaded guilty to the charge but begged the court for leniency.

Delivering judgment, Buba sentenced the convict to one month imprisonment with an option of N2,000 fine. (NAN)

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