By Abdulmumin Giwa.
Following the besiege on the Friday central mosque in Katsina this morning by the Nigerian Army, the head of the Katsina center of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Yakub Yahya has advised members of the Movement to stay away from the mosque and worship in their houses.
Issuing the statement today in Katsina, Sheikh Yakub said this has become necessary to avoid any possible destruction of lives and property which the government and it’s Army are bent on perpetrating on not only the Shi’ites but on all that would worship at the mosque.
“We advise our brothers to stay away from the mosque so that we can sit back and watch the extent of their mischief and devilish plan of killing every soul in the mosque, including children, whether Shi’ite or non-Shi’ite as revealed to us by reliable sources” he said.
He reminded the public that from the inception of the Zaria pogrom in December last year, he announced the intention by government to extend the killings to other places including Katsina. He said that he announced to thee public that in-case they persist in their plans, members of the movement will stay away from the mosque.
Hence, from what is clear today with the presence of heavily armed troops surrounding the mosque, IMN members would not worship there in order not to give the army the opportunity to shed innocent blood and destroy property as they usually do he added.
Sheikh Yahya finally prayed for peace and prosperity to all and sundry and asked for Allah’s protection against all evils.