The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has commiserated with Muslim Ummah following the collapse of a section of the historic Zaria Central Mosque in Kaduna State, that claimed ten lives and injured seven.
The incident occurred at about 4 pm when Muslim worshipers were observing their evening prayer.
In a statement on Saturday, CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, sympathized with the families who lost loved ones in the unfortunate incident and prayed for the quick recovery of the injured.
“In this moment of sorrow, we stand united as one people, acknowledging the importance of mutual respect, understanding, and peaceful coexistence among the various religious communities in Nigeria. Tragedies such as this remind us of our shared humanity and the need for solidarity during times of crisis.
“We commend the swift response of the relevant authorities and emergency services in rescuing survivors and providing necessary medical attention.
“We urge the government and all relevant stakeholders to ensure a thorough investigation into the causes of this incident, with the aim of preventing such accidents in the future and ensuring the safety of worshippers in all places of worship across the country,” the statement partly reads.
READ ALSO: 4 Die, Seven Injured As Zaria Central Mosque Collapses On Worshippers
Meanwhile, the Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Nuhu Bamali, has expressed shock over the incident and prayed for the repose of the souls of those that died.
The Emir in an audio interview granted in the Hausa language, said they had earlier observed a crack on the wall of the mosque on Thursday.
According to him, they were making arrangements for the repair before Friday’s incident.
He, however, directed all worshipers to pray outside the mosque pending when the repair work is carried out.
In his reaction, the Chief Press Secretary to the Kaduna State Governor, Mohammed Shehu, said Governor Ubah Sani is shocked by the development.
He, also conveyed the Governor’s condolence to the victims and their families, saying a delegation has been sent to the affected.
The victims were later buried according to Islamic rites.
The incident is the latest in building collapse across the country. While experts have repeatedly blamed them on poor building materials and unprofessionalism among others, the cause of the most recent incident is yet to be known.