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| Africa Subsaharan |
| Five mosques razed in Nigeria |
| 2012-03-24 |
| [Daily Nation (Kenya)] The spate of kabooms by the Islamic fundamentalist group Boko Haram ... not to be confused with Procol Harum, Harum Scarum, possibly to be confused with Helter Skelter. Currently wearing a false nose and moustache and answering to Jama'atu Ahlus-Sunnah Lidda'Awati Wal Jihad, or Big Louie... may have driven Nigerian authorities to demolish five mosques in Lagos. The mosques located within the Alausa area of Lagos were pulled down following an earlier order by Lagos governor Babatunde Fashola, banning all religious activities within the Lagos State Secretariat. Some of the demolished mosques, reduced to rubble, included one located about 120m from the office of the Deputy Governor and another behind the Ministry of Justice. It was gathered that the demolition exercise was carried out at night with heavy police presence to forestall violent reactions. Weeks ago, the Boko Haram sect had issued a threat to bomb major cities in the southern part of Nigeria including Lagos, the largest city in the country with about 20 million people. Since the beginning of the year rumours have been rife of imminent attack on the country's longest bridge, the 12- kilometre Third Mainland Bridge connecting Lagos Island and the Mainland. On March 16, thousands of people scampered for safety as an bomb was discovered in a building in Ikeja area of Lagos. The bomb was planted in Awolowo House, a glass house on Obafemi Awolowo Road, one of the busiest parts of Ikeja Central Business District. Intelligence reports Sources said the demolition of the five mosques followed intelligence reports from the Rapid Response Squad on the vulnerability of the Secretariat to Boko Haram attack if religious activities in that neighbourhood were not curbed. In a statement signed by Sheikh AbdurRahman Ahmad and Abdullah Shuaib the Lagos State chapter of the Conference of Islamic Organisations has urged the state governor to rebuild at least one of the mosques to assuage the feelings of the Moslem community. The group which pledged support for pro-active security however expressed disappointment that Moslem leaders were not adequately consulted before the demolition. A civil servant who would not want his name mentioned because he is a Christian said the Christian community in Alausa have become apprehensive following the demolition. "We are worried because the standard reaction in circumstances like this is for Moslems to vent their anger on Christians. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #8 I most abjectly apologize, Abu Uluque. It's late, I'm tired, I hit the button by accident. :-( Dear Readers, here is what Abu Uluque posted: #7  It's a start. Posted by: Abu Uluque  2012-03-24 19:22  |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2012-03-24 23:46 |
| #7 It's a start. |
| Posted by: Abu Uluque 2012-03-24 19:22 |
| #6 Think 'armories', 'recruiting centers' and 'staging areas'. Plus they make an unholy racket 5 times a day---starting with 4 am. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2012-03-24 16:08 |
| #5 link is 404. |
| Posted by: gromky 2012-03-24 15:56 |
| #4 Think 'armories', 'recruiting centers' and 'staging areas'. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2012-03-24 15:52 |
| #3 Sorry, but I don't understand how it was necessary to blow up five mosques. That probably just created several new jihadis. I've got to come out against this. This seems like a pretty dumb move. |
| Posted by: Kentucky Beef 2012-03-24 15:05 |
| #2 "the standard FTFY. |
| Posted by: Barbara 2012-03-24 11:09 |
| #1 Way to go Babatunde! |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2012-03-24 08:06 |