By Muhammad Aminu
The police have arrested a middle-aged man for deceiving Muslim worshippers and demolishing mosques in the name of reconstruction in Jigawa State.
The man who is reported to have deceived many villagers and communities in remote areas of Jigawa State local governments directed demolition and stole roofing zinc from at least 14 mosques in the state.
The suspect is expected to appear in a Magistrate Court in the Kiyawa Local Government Area of Jigawa on Thursday.
A spokesman for Jigawa State Magistrate Courts, Abbas Wangara, said the man is being prosecuted for demolition and stealing properties of mosques.
The police confirmed that the suspect was arrested in Konake village of Kiyawa Local Government Area but did not disclose his identity.
Residents of Konake village said the suspect paid for the removal of roofing, doors and windows before he disappeared with the items without a trace.
At least fourteen mosques were affected by his deceitful philanthropic gesture of trying to renovate and upgrade the mosques in Taura, Kiyawa and Jahun Local Government Areas of Jigawa State.
The village head of Konake, Malam Hussaini Iliyasu, explained that the man had earlier told them that an Arab-based NGO would construct a new mosque for the village hence the demolition of the existing one.
“After the removal of the roofing, he gathered zinc, windows, doors and borehole and moved them away. He even paid for the carpenter to remove the roof and the demolition of the outer part of the mosque,” the village head said.
Residents of Konake said they were hinted that he was sighted in a neighbouring village trying to replicate his trick against unsuspecting worshippers, which enabled them to inform the police.
Some residents of the affected villages confirmed that they now pray in their houses whenever it is raining because of his despicable acts on their mosques.