Alhaji Bature solicites for the contribution of the mosque’s new construction.

By Sadiq Abdulfatah

40 years-old Friday Mosque, Jama’atu Izalatul Bid’ah Wa’kamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS), Kankia Local Government, Katsina State, located at Layi Quaters, has been announced closed as a result of flooding.

The announcement was made by Sheikh Khalil Kasim, who said that the Friday congregation prayer would now be conducted at Masjid Ibn Taymiyya in Gurara, which is a five-daily-prayer mosque.

He stated, “The mosque until further notice, will no longer be opened for prayer observations, as a result of the flood that submerged the mosque.”

Alhaji Umaru Bature, the JIBWIS Chairman in the area, explained that the decision was concluded on during a meeting with the Chief Imam of the Mosque, Malam Tasiu Umar, and the Chairman of the Mosque Committee, Malam Alkhamis Rabiu.

He added that the one-storey mosque was constructed around 1985.

Bature the JIBWIS chairman, revealed that the closure of the place of worship, has been advised by experts because, it was submerged by water as a result of the flooding experienced recently in the town.

He went on to say that the mosque, being a storey building, submerged by water, was dangerous for the people to pray inside it at that moment.

He added, “The place of worship, has not been closed for just Friday prayer, but also the five daily obligatory prayers because, the mosque might collapse at any time now or after the rainy season as a result of the water’s deep penetration to the building’s foundation.”

He, therefore, seeks contributions from the entire Muslim faithful and corporate organisations from within and outside the country for the reconstruction as the mosque is intended to be demolished.

He said, “We welcome contributions from all in the cause of Allah. We already have our new building design for anyone with the intention of reconstructing another one for us,”

It was gathered that the flood has recently rendered hundreds of people homeless and destroyed properties estimated to be worth billions of Naira and also the first time in the past four decades in the history of the town that it experienced such a challenge.