The Emir of Zazzau Mallam Ahmed Bamalli has described as painful the plan to demolish 188-year old Malam Abdulkarim Central Mosque Zaria, noting that it weighs heavily upon the Emirate Council.
The royal father said this during the groundbreaking ceremony for the reconstruction of the mosque in Zaria on Sunday.
On August 11, 2023, the 188-year old mosque collapsed while hundreds of worshippers were observing afternoon prayers, killing seven worshippers and injuring many others.
Bamalli said the decision was not made lightly but the emirate had no option but to take it as the safety of lives remained the top priority of the council.
“Your well-being and security have always been at the forefront of our thoughts and actions”, the emir said. Bamalli commended the Kaduna State Government for supporting the victims of the 2023 mosque collapse, paying compensation of houses affected by expansion of the mosque project among other initiatives.
He also lauded the highest donation of N2 billion by Abdussamad IsyakaRabi’u through the ASR Africa and BUA Group. He noted that the historic mosque, built in the 1830s had served as a beacon of faith, community engagement and resilience.
