Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Masquerade, followers invade mosque, injure worshippers


Masquerade, followers invade mosque, injure worshippers
Hell was let loose in Idimu area of Lagos State when masquerade and its followers attacked the Shamsu-deen Central Mosque, Idimu II. In the attack, some persons were injured while property worth of millions of naira were destroyed. Those injured in the Sunday attack are identified as Sulaimon Rabiu, Ahmed Mutairu, Yusuf Wasiu, Ganiu Isiak, Alhaji Ganiyu Adewale, Tajudeen Rabiu, Haruna Nasif and Ismail Mayadele.
Trouble, according to investigation, started when of a member of Shamsu-deen Al-Islamiy, an Islamic organisation, Saheed Majekodunmi, residing at No: 4, Gbemi Ogundeyi Street, confronted the masquerade for allegedly removing his wife’s hijab, a female Muslim wear.

An argument ensued during the confrontation.
“The masquerade and its followers are fond of coming into our compound on the guise of coming to pay homage to one of their relatives. “On Sunday, I was in the room sleeping when I heard my wife shouting. I jumped out only to see some of our neighbours persuading her. My wife said the masquerade told her that she could not be using hijab while it (the masquerade) was also wearing ‘hijab’.
The masquerade then removed my wife’s hijab,” Majekodunmi said. The man said the masquerade’s action provoked him and his friend who was with him. He said: “I tried to ask the leader of the masquerade to explain what prompted them to remove my wife’s hijab.
“But before I could say anything, one of them pounced on my friend and beat him mercilessly. To avoid more beating, my friend ran into our mosque, which is a stone throw from my street. “I thought that was the end. I went back into my room, after some elders had persuaded me and my wife. We never knew that the masquerade and its followers had another plan for us.
“While we were inside the mosque, we suddenly saw some people and the masquerade. They invaded the mosque and pounced on those inside. They did not even spare the women.” When our correspondent visited the mosque yesterday, items allegedly destroyed by the invaders littered everywhere. The Missioner of Shamsu-deen Islamiy, Ustads AdbudlAkeem Robiu, said he was not around during the attack.
He said: “I was at the organisation’s general meeting when the news reached me. I left the meeting immediately for the mosque. I did not believe what they told me on phone about the level of the destruction until I got to here.” Robiu, however, urged the Lagos State Government and the state Police Command to come to their rescue, adding that they were not violent. Also, the Baale of the community, Mr Waheed Ebedi, said he was informed of the attack.
He said: “I am a Muslim myself. But I was here on the directives of the Oba of Egbeda and the chairman of Egbe Idimu Local Government to take stock of the destruction at the mosque and to persuade the victims to bear with us. We are still investigating the matter.”
One of the victims, Adewale, said they were caught unawares, adding that they were praying in the mosque when the masquerade and its followers attacked them. He said: “Some worshippers and I were seriously injured. They attacked us with machetes and destroyed our property in the mosque.” Those injured were rushed to the Idimu General Hospital. It was gathered that some of the victims were rejected by the hospital management over non-availability of space. A senior police officer at the Idimu Police Station said the leader of the masquerade had been arrested. He also promised that those on the run would soon be arrested.
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