COVID-19: Imam arrested for holding Juma’at prayer in Kano, another sacked for cancelling it in Zaria

The Imam of Gwammaja Mosque in Kano State has been arrested for holding Juma’at prayer.

The Abdullahi Ganduje-led government of the state arrested the Imam for disobeying the lockdown order in the state to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

The governor had ordered for a total lock down of the state from Thursday, April 16, following the death of a coronavirus patient and the increase in the number of confirmed cases of the virus in the state.

But a day after that order, the Imam defiled the lockdown order and allegedly held Friday prayer at the mosque.

His consequent arrest was announced by the governor’s media aide, Salihu Yakasai in a tweet on his Twitter account-@dawisu.

He wrote, “The Imam of Gwammaja Mosque that performed Friday Prayers tday in Kano despite the lockdown order has been arrested. The lockdown was with the full blessings of all the Imams in the State from the different islamic sects. The only way to enforce social distancing is lockdown.”

Meanwhile, in Zamfara State, an Imam, Malam Abubakar Sarki-Aminu has been sacked for cancelling Juma’at prayer in obedience to the Kaduna State government order that banned congregational prayers.

Imam Abubakar was sacked by the Chairman, Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’a Wa’iqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS), Zaria Local Government, Sheikh Sani Yakubu.

Abubakar, it was learnt, was the “Imam ratib” meaning the Imam for five daily prayers at Sheik Abubakar Mahmood Gumi Juma’at Mosque, Kofar Gayan Low-cost, Zaria for almost 40 years.

He refused to conduct Juma’at prayer in respect to the March 20 order of the Kaduna State government, which prohibited all sorts of gatherings including church and mosque prayers involving more than 50 people across the state.

The JIBWIS chairman, who confirmed Abubakar’s sack on Friday, however, refused to comment on the issue.

He meanwhile, instructed the Committee Chairman for five daily prayers of the Mosque, Alhaji Shehu Dan-Maikuli to speak on his behalf.

In his response on the issue, Dan-Maikuli explained:

“When this issue of coronavirus came, one day the Imam (sacked) just stand up after leading Zuhur prayer and announced that as from today he suspends congregational prayers until the issue is over, by then I was not in the Mosque.

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“When I came for Asr prayer only to be told that the Imam ordered for closure of the Mosque, I called him on phone to enquire and he said yes he had ordered that the Mosque be closed.”

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