Summary:

• At least 11 worshippers were killed and dozens injured after a man set fire to a mosque in Kano, Nigeria, due to a family inheritance dispute. The suspect, who locked the doors before igniting the fire, has been arrested.

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KANO, (Examiner) – At least 11 worshippers were killed and dozens more injured when a man set fire to a mosque in northern Nigeria’s Kano state, police reported.

The assailant allegedly sprayed petrol around the mosque, locked the doors, and ignited the fire, trapping about 40 worshippers inside during morning prayers on Wednesday in the Gezawa area.

The attack stemmed from a family dispute over inheritance, police said. A 38-year-old suspect has been arrested and reportedly confessed to targeting family members inside the mosque.

Flames engulfed the mosque, with trapped worshippers heard wailing as they tried to escape. Neighbors, alerted by the explosion, rushed to aid those trapped inside.

Local media reported that rescue teams, including bomb experts from Kano city, were dispatched. Authorities later confirmed no bomb was involved.

The Kano Fire Service indicated they were not immediately alerted to the fire, which delayed their response. “People are supposed to call us immediately in such situations, but we were informed only after locals had put out the fire,” spokesman Saminu Yusuf said.

Initial reports indicated one death, but the toll rose as more victims succumbed to injuries at the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital. Several victims, including children, are still receiving treatment.

Islamic cleric Sheik Dauda Sulaiman condemned the attack, emphasizing that killing people during prayers is a grave sin. He stated that the perpetrator should not only repent but also pay blood money to the victims’ families.

With Extracts from Agencies