Worshippers in Kankia, Katsina State, have been left without their historic Friday mosque after severe flooding forced the closure of the Jama’atu Izalatul Bid’ah Wa’kamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS) mosque at Layi Quarters.
The announcement was made by Sheikh Khalil Kasim, who confirmed that Friday congregational prayers will now hold at Masjid Ibn Taymiyya in Gurara, which will also host the five daily prayers.
“As a result of the flood that submerged the mosque, prayers will no longer be observed there until further notice,” Kasim declared.
Alhaji Umaru Bature, JIBWIS Chairman in the area, said the decision was reached after consultations with the Chief Imam, Malam Tasiu Umar, and the Mosque Committee Chairman, Malam Alkhamis Rabiu.
Built around 1985, the one-storey mosque was severely damaged by the flood. Structural experts warned that the foundation had been badly compromised, making the building unsafe.
“The mosque is dangerous for people to pray in. Water penetrated deep beneath the foundation. It could collapse anytime, during or even after the rainy season,” Bature explained.
He added that both Friday and daily prayers have been suspended, with the building already barricaded. Plans are underway to demolish and reconstruct the mosque.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalled that the recent floods displaced hundreds of residents and destroyed properties worth billions of naira. This is the first time in 40 years that Kankia has experienced flooding of such magnitude.
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