Police in Kano State has said no fewer than 24 persons were critically injured on Wednesday following an early morning mosque explosion at Gadan Village, Gezawa local government area of Kano State

The Public Relations Officer of the Kano Police Command, SP Abdullahi Haruna confirmed the incident in a statement on Wednesday.

“Today, 15/05/2024 at about 0520hrs, reports were received that, there was an explosion at a Mosque in Gadan Village, Gezawa LGA, Kano State during “Subhi Prayer” and that some people got injured.

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“On receipt of the report, the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Mohammed Usaini Gumel, immediately deployed the command’s combined teams consisting of experts in Explosive Ordnance Disposal Chemical Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) led by CSP Haruna Isma’il and other Crime-Scene Policemen led by Divisional Police Officer, Gezawa Division, CSP Haruna Iliya.

“The scene was cordoned-off and twenty-four victims including 20 male adults and 4 male children were removed and rushed to Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital Kano where they are currently receiving treatment,” he said.

The Police Command has also confirmed the arrest of the principal suspect behind the early morning mosque explosion in Gadan village in Gezawa Local Government Area of the state.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Usaini Gumel, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone interview on Wednesday that a 38-year-old- man Shafi’u Abubakar, had been arrested over the incident.

He said that the suspect had confessed to attacking the mosque because of a long-standing family dispute over inheritance sharing.

“On May 15, 2024, at about 5:20 a.m. the police received a report of an explosion at a mosque in Gadan Village during the dawn prayer, leaving several people injured.

“Promptly, a team of security personnel, including experts in Explosive Ordnance Disposal Chemical Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN), were deployed to the scene.

“Twenty-four victims, including 20 males and four children, who sustained various degrees of injuries were rushed to Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital Kano for treatment, ” he said.

The Commissioner of Police said that preliminary forensic analysis indicated that the explosion was caused by a petrol bomb and a detailed investigation was ongoing.

He said the police were continuing with investigations and would release further details in due course.