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.”
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