Prompt police intervention in the northern city of Kano saved 15,000 worshippers at Fagge Mosque on Friday when terrorists who disguised as worshippers planted Improvised Explosive Device (IED) inside the Mosque.
The anti-bomb squad dispatched from Bompai Police Headquarters detonated the explosive upon distress calls by the Mosque Committee members who discovered the bomb concealed in a plastic can and wrapped inside a black polythene bag.
The Kano police arrested three men suspected to be members of Boko Haram and masterminds of the dastardly act.
The Kano state Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim K. Idris confirmed the incident on phone, adding that police authorities were preparing official statement to that effect.
The Police Commissioner hinted that, “the person that planted the explosive came inside the Mosque before the prayer time. He concealed the explosive in a plastic can, dropped it, sat down, picked a Qu’ran and pretended to be reciting the Qu’ran.
“After some minutes, he went outside, came in again, sat in the same position and pretended to be reading the Holy Book. After a while, he went outside, abandoned the plastic can and never returned. At this point, the Mosque committee suspected the plastic can and alerted the police.
“When the anti-bomb squad arrived the Mosque, they brought the plastic can outside, checked the content and discovered it was an explosive; and they immediately detonated it.”
He charged residents to be vigilant and report any suspicious movement or strange item dumped anywhere to the police, pointing out that, “people should be very careful even in the Mosque and churches. Worshipers should not be allowed to come inside places of worship with strange materials.”
A worshiper at the Mosque, Alhaji Kabiru Isah thanked God for his divine intervention, saying, “it was by Allah’s grace that we were saved. People were already rushing into the Mosque as prayer time was fast approaching when one of the Mosque Committee members observed a polythene bag abandoned inside the Mosque.”
He added that the Mosque Committee member who suspected the bag,” was so suspicious of the content of the polythene bag; and he immediately raised alarm. The Police was informed. At this point, three men outside the Mosque who thought the bomb had exploded shouted Allahu Akbar (God is great). They were immediately identified as the masterminds of the evil act and the police arrested them with the help of the worshippers.
“I thank Allah for saving the lives of his servants. It would have been another tragic story; and only God knows what their motive and mission were. I believe they are detractors who simply want to cause confusion and commotion in the state, but Allah exposed them.”
Fear and apprehension have continued to rise in the volatile ancient commercial city, but pointblanknews.com observes that security operatives are working hard to contend any split of peace.