1st July, 2024
PRESS RELEASE:
COLLAPSED MOSQUE: LASG ABDICATING RESPONSIBILITY – MURIC
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has again
accused the Lagos State government (LASG) of abdicating its responsibility in
the collapse of the Al-Mutmahinat Mosque at Mushin in May this year. Two people
died in the accident while 15 worshippers suffered various degrees of injuries.
The human rights organization claims that LASG is
yet to own up whereas it was a government excavator which was working on the
road that mistakenly pulled down the mosque's pillar. It insists that LASG must
take responsibility for rebuilding the mosque and paying full compensation to
the victims.
This was contained in a press statement circulated
to the media on Monday, 1st July, 2024 by the Executive Director of
the group, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
The message reads:
"There
is every raison d'etre to believe that the Lagos State government (LASG)
intends to abdicate its responsibility in the collapse of the Al-Mutmahinat
Mosque, located at Yusuf Street, Papa Ajao, Mushin on Sunday, 26th May, 2024.
Two people died in the accident, Anifat Yusuf, eleven and Dongo, a mallam.
while 15 other worshippers suffered various degrees of injuries.
"One of those who suffered serious injuries
is Naeemat Lasisi, 13, who had both legs amputated and is still lying in bed at
the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) five weeks after the
accident.
"It will be recalled that MURIC had
intervened in the issue of the collapsed mosque from day one. On 27th
May, 2024, which was a day after the sad incident, we came out with a statement
captioned 'Collapsed Mosque: MURIC Charges LASG To Take Responsibility'.
"We followed it up with another press release
24 hours later under the title 'Collapsed Mosque: MURIC Visits Site, Tenders 5
Demands' and dated 28th May 2024. We capped our interventions with
another statement titled 'MURIC Lampoons Lagos GOVT For Abandoning Collapsed
Mosque Victim in Hospital, Legs Amputated'. This was on 31st May,
2024.
"We are deeply disturbed that despite these
outcries LASG is yet to take full responsibility five weeks after the disaster
struck. MURIC is being briefed regularly by some of the relations of the
injured victims as well as members of the mosque congregation.
“We must be fair to LASG by mentioning the visit
of the state’s Commissioner for Health to the hospital about three weeks ago.
But that visit took place without further assurance from the government
regarding the girl’s future.
"LASUTH
management is taking care of the 13 years old school-girl whose legs have been
amputated and although the management assured MURIC about four days ago that
LASG will pay for her artificial legs, the parents have expressed worries about
the girl's future. This is also one of the five demands made by MURIC but LASG
has maintained silence on this issue. It should not be about getting
artificial legs for the poor girl alone. What happens to her education and career?
"Another
major area where the state government has ignored the demands is the mosque
building which collapsed. All the eyewitnesses testified that it was the
government excavator which knocked down the pillar and this led to the collapse
of the mosque. This has not been denied either by the state government or the
Mushin Local Government Council whose bulldozer was working on the
street
"The
mosque committee has informed MURIC that no tangible assurance regarding the
rebuilding of the mosque has been offered by any government official. This
is most disappointing.
"A highly nauseating comedy played out about
a week ago when the chairman and other officials of Mushin LG gave peanuts to
some of the victims. Five million naira was reportedly given to the mosque
committee, one million naira was given to the parents of the girl who lost both
girls. Some of those injured received as little as one hundred thousand
naira.
"This can only happen in a banana republic.
What does the council expect the mosque committee to do with N5 million? Is it
to buy groundnuts and pure water for worshippers on Friday or what? Can N5
million bring the new construction to foundation level?
"That compensation jamboree organized by the
chairman can best be described as mere hocus-pocus. It is an attempt by the
Mushin LG to trivialize the sad incident, ridicule the Muslims and eventually
get away with the atrocity.
"We
therefore reiterate our position that the state government must take
responsibility for the collapse of the mosque and give assurance regarding how
it intends to rebuild the structure. In our earlier press statements, we had
requested a six month period during which the mosque should be completed and
made functional.
"We urge LASG and Mushin LG to act like
responsible institutions honest enough to accept blame when found wanting and
to take responsibility in a honourable manner. A structure pulled down albeit
mistakenly by a corporate entity must be rebuilt by that corporate body and no
responsible government will run away from such responsibility.
"Neither should LASG or Mushin LG mistake the
silence and perceived docility of Muslims in Mushin for any form of stupidity
or cowardice. It is wicked and irresponsible to pull down our mosque and remain
silent. Not even when lives and limbs were lost in the incident. That signifies
tramadolised impunity.
"We
therefore demand that LASG and Mushin LG must invite the leadership of the
mosque for dialogue with immediate effect. Members of the mosque committee are
not daft. They are made up of well educated individuals and they know their
rights.
"Besides, they are prepared to pursue the
actualisation of their Allah-given fundamental human rights on the twin issues
of the reconstruction of the mosque and adequate compensation for the victims
of the accident. The committee is prepared to use every legitimate means
available to ensure justice for Mushin Muslims.
"The time to invite the mosque committee for
dialogue is now".
#LASG
#MushinLocalGovernment
#RebuildOurMosque
#AdequateCompensationForVictims
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Founder/Executive Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).
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