No fewer than four worshipers were feared dead and 7 others injured as a section of the Zaria Central Mosque, Zaria, Kaduna State collapsed about 4pm on Friday while they were praying.
A survivor, Mallam Shehu Nagari, who was worshiping with victims in the mosque, said the incident happened when they were in the second Sujud of Asr prayer.
He said all of a sudden, the affected portion of the mosque collapsed on the those sitting directly under it.
He said all he knew was that affected people were covered by mud because the section was built with mud which had been existing for over 150 years. However, at the time of filing this report Mallam Nagari said he couldn’t ascertain the actual number of the Victims. Confirming the incident, the Emir of Zazzau, Mallam Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli said the victims were observing the Asr prayer around 4pm when the incident occurred.
He said: “We had earlier observed a crack in the wall of the mosque yesterday (Thursday) and was planning to deploy a team of civil engineers to effect repairs, when this unfortunate incident happened.”
While condoling with the family of the deceased, the Emir directed that people should pray outside the mosque pending the repairs.
The Emir directed that funeral prayer of all the corpses will be observed at 8.30pm Friday at the emir’s palace.
