Yobe Central Mosque in bad shape, residents raise alarm

Residents of Yobe State have expressed concerns over the deplorable state of facilities at the multi-billion naira Yobe Central Mosque and Islamic Centre, Damaturu.

The mosque, which was commissioned 14 years ago, was built during Governor Bukar Abba Ibrahim’s administration through contributions from both Muslim and Christian civil servants in the state with support from some countries.

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The mosque, arguably the largest in Nigeria and one of the biggest in Africa, has the capacity to accommodate 20,000 worshippers.

Some structures of the mosque which include the POP ceiling, wall tiles and electrical installations have begun to lose their shapes, a development that has worried the residents.

Our correspondent who visited the mosque on Wednesday observed that portions of the building have developed cracks, while many electronic appliances are not functioning.

In an interview with Kanem Trust, a concerned citizen, Mallam Habu Bulama, said authorities should not fold their arms to allow the important legacy destroyed.

Bulama said, “This mosque has always been a pride for the good citizens; it is also a centre for scholarship, especially to women and children, so it is our collective responsibility to ensure that we put things in order.

“There is neglect in maintenance from the side of the government and officials taking care of the mosque; nobody will allow his house on which so much was spent to rot away like this.’’

Many residents have taken to their social media handles to voice out their concerns over the stage of the mosque.

Yusuf Ali wrote: “I hope the authorities concerned are taking note of this by not allowing this beautiful and gigantic monument to rot away.

“Honestly, the Yobe Central Mosque is losing its standard, as Muslims, we must all come to its rescue even if we are going to involve everyone like it was done during its construction and commissioning.

“We must not allow it to fall, a Masjid which is like a Mecca of sort and the Prophet (SAW) encourages us to always take good care of the Masjid, as it was part of his will to always keep a place for worship for Muslims everywhere.

“We must ensure its repairs and even upgrading. In fact, the Yobe Mosque and Islamic Centre needs urgent attention.”

Modu Bukar wrote: “We are already involved, because most of the civil servants in the state are contributing monthly for the maintenance and other services. I think the concerned authority should checkmate the situation and report to the public, if the public can add to their involvement.”

When contacted, a top official of the mosque told our correspondent that government was about taking action on the situation.

He said, “I don’t want to preempt the action being planned by government, so I can tell you exactly when work will commence, but I can confidently tell you that government has sent two different teams of engineers and contractors and they are already examining the level of damage, and they have assured that they will work on it as soon as government approves their submissions.”