The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has accused the Lagos State government of abdicating its responsibility in the collapse of the Al-Mutmahinat Mosque at Mushin last month.
Two people died in the accident and 15 worshippers suffered various degrees of injuries.
Executive Director of MURIC, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, on Sunday night the government is yet to own up whereas it was a government excavator which was working on the road that mistakenly pulled down the mosque’s pillar.
Akintola insist that Lagos must take responsibility for rebuilding the mosque and pay full compensation to the victims.
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“There is every raison d’etre to believe that the Lagos State government (LASG) intends to abdicate its responsibility in the collapse of the Al-Mutmahinat Mosque, located at Yusuf Street, Papa Ajao, Mushin on Sunday, 26th May, 2024. Two people died in the accident, Anifat Yusuf, eleven and Dogo, a Mallam, while 15 other worshippers suffered various degrees of injuries.
“One of those who suffered serious injuries is Naeemat Lasisi, 13, who had both legs amputated and is still lying in bed at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) five weeks after the accident,” Akintola said.
He recalled that MURIC had intervened in the issue of the collapsed mosque from day one and had also took some measure for the LASG to take responsibility for the accident.
He said, “We are deeply disturbed that despite these outcries LASG is yet to take full responsibility five weeks after the disaster struck. MURIC is being briefed regularly by some of the relations of the injured victims as well as members of the mosque congregation.
“We must be fair to LASG by mentioning the visit of the state’s Commissioner for Health to the hospital about three weeks ago. But that visit took place without further assurance from the government regarding the girl’s future.
“LASUTH management is taking care of the 13 years old school-girl whose legs have been amputated and although the management assured MURIC about four days ago that LASG will pay for her artificial legs, the parents have expressed worries about the girl’s future.
“This is also one of the five demands made by MURIC but LASG has maintained silence on this issue. It should not be about getting artificial legs for the poor girl alone. What happens to her education and career?”
He said another major area where the state government has ignored the demands is the mosque building which collapsed.
“All the eyewitnesses testified that it was the government excavator which knocked down the pillar and this led to the collapse of the mosque. This has not been denied either by the state government or the Mushin Local Government Council whose bulldozer was working on the street.
“The mosque committee has informed MURIC that no tangible assurance regarding the rebuilding of the mosque has been offered by any government official. This is most disappointing,” Akintola said.
He also said, “A highly nauseating comedy played out about a week ago when the chairman and other officials of Mushin LG gave peanuts to some of the victims. Five million naira was reportedly given to the mosque committee, one million naira was given to the parents of the girl who lost both girls. Some of those injured received as little as one hundred thousand naira.
“This can only happen in a banana republic. What does the council expect the mosque committee to do with N5 million? Is it to buy groundnuts and pure water for worshippers on Friday or what? Can N5 million bring the new construction to foundation level?
“We therefore reiterate our position that the state government must take responsibility for the collapse of the mosque and give assurance regarding how it intends to rebuild the structure. In our earlier press statements, we had requested a six month period during which the mosque should be completed and made functional.”
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