The Jama’atu Izalatul Bid’ah Wa’kamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS) in Kankia Local Government Area of Katsina State has announced the closure of its 40-year-old Friday Mosque after devastating floods submerged the building.
The mosque, located in Layi Quarters and constructed in 1985, was shut down following expert warnings that the structure could collapse after water penetrated deep into its foundation.
Announcing the decision, Sheikh Khalil Kasim said Friday congregational prayers would now hold at Masjid Ibn Taymiyya in Gurara, which was previously used only for the five daily prayers.
“As a result of the flood that submerged the mosque, prayers will no longer be observed there until further notice,” Kasim stated.
The JIBWIS Chairman in Kankia, Alhaji Umaru Bature, explained that the closure was agreed upon during a meeting with the Chief Imam, Malam Tasiu Umar, and the Mosque Committee Chairman, Malam Alkhamis Rabiu.
Bature warned that the building posed a serious risk to worshippers.
“We have closed it because it can collapse at any moment, now or even after the rainy season. Water has already weakened the foundation, which is why we barricaded the entire area. Not only Juma’at prayer but even the five daily prayers should not be conducted there,” he said.
He disclosed that plans were underway to demolish the structure and reconstruct a new mosque, urging Muslims and corporate organisations across Nigeria and beyond to contribute towards the rebuilding project.
“We already have a new design for anyone willing to assist in constructing another mosque for us. We welcome contributions from all for the sake of Allah,” Bature added.
Recent floods in Katsina and other northern states have displaced hundreds of residents and destroyed properties worth billions of naira. Residents described the incident as the worst flooding in Kankia in the past four decades.
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