Worshipers Escape as Truck Rams into Niger Mosque

A mango laden truck rammed into a mosque in Barade House, opposite Old Licencing Office in Kontagora, Niger State, in the wee hours of Friday.

Sources told Daily Trust that worshipers had just dispersed after Tahajud prayers when the incident happened.

The mosque was filled to capacity during the prayers which fell into the last ten days of Ramadan.

The affected section of the mosque is said to be where women and children stayed for the Tahajud prayers.

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The driver of the ill-fated truck was said to have taken off from Bida, Niger state, and was heading for Sokoto with four passengers when he dozed off and veered off the road.

One of the cars packed outside the Mosque was pushed by the truck to the varenda of the Mosque.

A resident, Yahaya Suleiman, told our correspondent that the incident happened less than six minutes after worshipers departed.

“We thank God. The side where the truck rammed into was female and children section of the Mosque. People had just finished the Tahajud prayers and left when the incident happened. No life was lost but damages were done to the Mosque,” he said.

One of the passengers at the back of the truck, Mustapha Sokoto, told our correspondent that he was asleep but woke up to find himself on ground.

“When it happened, I was sleeping. I just found myself lying on the ground. It happened around 4am.”

“We took off from Bida and we were heading for Sokoto. We were five in the truck; nobody sustained injuries. The owners of the goods were inside the truck with the driver. I didn’t know what happened because I was sleeping at the back of the truck. I was on top of the goods at the back,” he said.