In a shocking incident that unfolded during the early morning ‘Subh’ prayer, a 28-year-old Shafi’u Aminu, reportedly set fire on a mosque deliberately in Larabar Abasawa, a community in Gezawa local government, Kano state, North West Nigeria.
According to victims, Aminu poured fuel inside the mosque and then locked the doors, trapping worshippers inside.
The incident occurred on Wednesday, leaving the community in shock and disbelief.
Sadik Kamal, one of the injured victims, recounted his harrowing experience.
According to Kamal, when the flames engulfed the mosque, he desperately tried to escape but found the exit door securely locked.
He revealed that Aminu had a history of violent behaviour in the village.
Previously, he had brandished a machete, threatening fellow villagers, adding that authorities had even arrested him once and sent him to a hospital for a mental health evaluation.
Solanased reports that this recent act of arson was not an isolated incident, according to Kamal, Aminu had previously set fire on his brother’s car and attacked him with a cutlass. His erratic behaviour had raised concerns among the villagers, yet no decisive action was taken.
‘’When the fire broke out during morning prayers, it was the latecomers who managed to break down the door and rescue those trapped inside,” he said.
SolaceBase gathered that about 29 worshippers sustained serious injuries and were rushed to the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital in Kano.
Zabiya Ibrahim, whose three uncles were among the victims, called for justice. She emphasized that Aminu’s actions were deliberate and not the result of mental illness.
“He knows how to make money,” she said, referring to his involvement in riding a popular local tricycle (known as ‘Adai-Adai ta Sahu’). Ibrahim urged the government to hold him accountable for this reckless act.
It was also gathered that the incident underscores years of simmering tensions within Aminu’s family over the issue of inheritance.
Aminu voluntarily surrendered to the police after the arson on Wednesday.
According to Shafi’u’s roommate, Rabi’u Ado, Shafi’u is not mentally ill. The family issue in their house revolves around discussions over inheritance—the properties left by his late father.
However, family members assert that Shafi’u has no share in the estate because his father left nothing behind before his passage. Instead, the property in question belongs to his grandfather.
Shafi’u’s father passed away before his father (Shafi’u’s grandfather), leaving Shafi’u to live with his grandfather after his father’s death. Subsequently, the grandfather also passed away.
According to Rabiu, Shafi’u continued residing in the family house with his uncles, but disagreements arose. He demanded his share of the inheritance (referred to as “Gado” in Hausa language)—the money or property shared among family members upon the family head’s demise.
Shafi’u’s uncles initially informed him that he had no entitlement to the property left by his grandfather.
According to Islamic law, any child who dies before his father does not inherit from the family estate. However, eventually, Shafi’u’s uncles reconsidered and allocated a farm to him and his siblings.
He noted that despite this, Shafi’u persisted in his dispute.
Shafa’atu Aminu, Shafi’u’s sister, believes that her brother is having spiritual problem.
She recalls a time when they consulted a native doctor who confirmed that Shafi’u was indeed being disturbed by spirits. When asked about the inheritance issue, Shafa’atu mentioned that she lacks detailed information because she has been away from the house for several years, although she has heard about it.
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