12th August, 2024
PRESS RELEASE:
SAVE FALOMO POLICE BARRACKS MOSQUE –
MURIC
There is palpable fear in the Muslim business
community of Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos that the only mosque in the vicinity, Falomo
Police Barracks Mosque, may be demolished very soon. This has prompted the Muslim
Rights Concern (MURIC) to appeal to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode
Egbetokun and other relevant authorities to save the mosque from demolition.
The appeal was contained in a statement issued on
Monday, 12th August, 2024 by the Founder and Executive Director of
the Islamic human rights organization, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
The statement reads:
“Residents and traders of Falomo Police Barracks, Falomo,
Ikoyi, Lagos (Falomo ‘A&B’) got wind of a plan to demolish the buildings on
both sides of the barracks about three weeks ago (July 2024). The information
threw the Muslim Community into a state of uncertainty as the whole barracks was
ordered to vacate within one month.
“The
Muslim community is deeply worried that worshippers may be deprived of the
opportunity to continue using the only mosque in the neighbourhood if the planned
demolition affects their mosque.
“It may be necessary to go down the lanes of
history to reveal the background and structural status of the mosque as a way
of supplying necessary information. Falomo Police Barracks Mosque was built in
1970 and reconstructed in 2006 after due approval via an official letter issued
by the Deputy Inspector General of Police ‘C’ Department. The letter was dated 22nd
August 2006. The mosque is also properly registered (CAC/IT/NO 77616). The
mosque sits on a land space of 376.48 square meters.
“In view of the elitist status of the mosque’s
board of trustees which include eminent Lagosians like Alhaja Lateefat Okunnu,
a former deputy governor in Lagos State and Alhaji Rafiu Ebiti, the current
Deputy President of the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN), necessary
steps are taken regularly to ensure that due process is followed in all matters
affecting the mosque.
“One of such
actions was an integrity test carried out by a certified independent tester
company whose result was satisfactory. The same result was also confirmed by a
related government agency thereby affirming the perfect condition of the mosque
building. We can therefore confidently assert that the mosque building does not
suffer from any structural defect.
“Falomo Police Barracks Mosque more than a mosque.
It is a beehive of daily, weekly and monthly spiritual and enlightenment
activities. The five daily worships are attended by no less than 200
worshippers each time. Jumuah prayer on Fridays is attended by no less than
1,000 males and females.
“Besides these spiritual activities, the mosque
also renders educational, social and health services. It conducts free madrasah
where both the young and old learn the Qur’an. The mosque has also been
organising free medical outreach for the past ten years.
“Free meals are given to people of all faiths in
Ramadan since 2010 and a total of 12,000 meals were served in 2024 Ramadan
alone. At least 50 people participate yearly in I’tikaaf (spiritual seclusion)
in the last ten days of Ramadan. The mosque recently added daily feeding
programme in conjunction with Dangote Foundation, Ibeji Foundation, etc in
response to the ravaging hunger in society.
“In view
of the sine qua non humanitarian services offered by the Falomo Police Barracks
Mosque as well as the immense and verifiable benefits accruing to the worshippers
and their neighbours (both Muslims and non-Muslims), MURIC hereby appeals to
the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun and other relevant
authorities to exempt the mosque from the planned demolition exercise.
“Demolition of the mosque will definitely create a
yawning vacuum because man is body, soul and spirit. Both the Muslim policemen
and businessmen need recourse to their Maker at the appropriate times and
within reasonable distance. Incidentally this is the only mosque for police
officers and businessmen and women in the vicinity whereas there are many
churches in the neighbourhood.
“Apart from the humanitarian services being
rendered regularly by the mosque’s board of trustees which will stop immediately
if the mosque is demolished, the constitutional provision on freedom of worship
contained in Section 38(i&ii) makes it most advisable for the authorities
to exempt religious buildings within the complex (the mosque and the church in Falomo
A&B) from the impending demolition exercise so that they can continue to
serve Falomo and Ikoyi communities.
“In a
country bedeviled with gymnastic religiousity and extreme spiritual ideology
leading to widespread violence as exemplified by the Boko Haram phenomenon with
the attendant humongous waste of lives and properties, Nigerian authorities
will be taking a wise decision if a mosque like Falomo Police Barracks which
engages in the above-mentioned corrective and reformatory activities is speared
from a demolition exercise.”
#IGPolice
#SaveFalomoPoliceBarracksMosque
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Founder/Executive Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).
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