Five worshippers have been confirmed dead while seven others sustained injuries as the Zaria Central Mosque in Kaduna state collapsed on Friday.
Confirming the incident, the Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, said the victims were observing the Asr prayer around 4pm when the incident occurred.
“We had earlier observed a crack on the wall of the mosque yesterday, and was planning to deploy team of civil engineers to effect repairs, when this unfortunate incident occurred”, the Emir told journalists.
He condoled the family of the deceased and prayed Allah to forgive their sins and Grant them aljannah firdaus, just as he directed that people should pray outside the mosque pending when the repairs on the mosque are carried out.
Meanwhile, the Emir directed that the funeral prayer of all the corpses be observed at 8.30pm at the emir’s palace which was carried out according to Islamic rites.