Worshippers defy blast, turn out en masse at Yola Mosques

Muslim worshippers on Friday defied last week’s bombing that killed over 30 people to attend prayers at the Jambutu Central Mosque.

Worshippers turned out en masse at the mosque for the Jumaát prayers and the seven day prayer in honour of those people killed in the blast.

The Chief Imam of the mosque, Sheikh Muhammad Awwal Ibn Usmna, led prayers at the mosque.

In his sermon, the Chief Imam of the mosque, who commiserated with families of those who lost their lives, told the worshippers to defy fears and threats of attacks saying they were meant, “to stop us worshipping, and by Allah’s grace, they will not succeed. We should continue to remain steadfast and security conscious.

“You have demonstrated resilience and believe in the religion, because in spite of last Friday bomb blast outside this mosque during which many lives, were lost I can see an unprecedented turn out of worshippers at the mosque.

A worshipper, Abubakar Ahmad, after observing the prayers said he was not apprehensive. “I felt at home while praying to Allah to expose those behind the attack on our mosque and several other attacks on innocent Nigerians.

“I have the belief that very soon, their end will come since they have brought the unholy war to the very domain of Allah. All Muslim faithful who gathered here today did so without fear or fervour because we believe that Allah is with us and will continue to guide and protect us,” he said.

Also corroborating, Yusuf Osama, an official of the first Aid group of Jama’atul Izalatul Bid’ah Wa iqamatus Sunnah, said he decided to worship at the mosque in order to express his grievances over the tragic loss of his loved ones, and to send a message to the perpetrators of the attack that they cannot stop him from practicing Islam.

He said police officers and members of religious aid groups were at strategic positions conducting searches at the single entrance road to the mosques that was left open during the prayers.

In the meantime, heavy security presence was witnessed around the central mosque, just as other mosques within the metropolis were heavily guarded and people going in and out thoroughly frisked. Vehicles were not allowed to park close to the mosques, just as human traffic was strictly monitored as worshippers were not allowed to gain entrance inside the mosques with objects.

At the Police barrack Jumma’at mosque where government officials including the speaker of the state Assembly, Kabiru Mijinyawa, worship, scanners and bomb detectives were used utilised.

The Chief Imam of the mosque, Ahmad Suleiman, admonished worshippers to attend prayers early.

He said “we implore everyone to be security conscious, there will be time for coming to pray, hence the reason for designing time frame. That is by 2:00 p.m, no more entrance to the mosque because we will not just fold our hands to see innocent people being killed by miscreants and devil minded individuals,” said the Chief Imam of the mosque”.

Culled from Premium Times, October 30, 2015