Four people were yesterday crushed to death and an elderly person sustained injuries when a trailer crashed into the Jos Central Mosque shortly after Juma’at prayers.
Dauda Aminu, 22, who introduced himself as the trailer’s conductor, said he removed the vehicle from the garage after trying unsuccessfully to get his boss (the driver) to do so and was taking it to park at Layin Zana area, near the mosque, when he noticed that its gear was failing.
The failed gear made him lose control of the trailer before it rammed into the mosque. Aminu pleaded in tears with the families of the victims to forgive him, saying it was not deliberate.
Aside the dead, all of them beggars, and injured, the trailer destroyed the mosque’s wall around the conference hall.
Responding to the incident which occurred about 40 minutes after worshipers had finished Juma’at prayers, Chief Imam of Jos, Sheikh Balarabe Dawud, condoled the families of those who lost their lives and cautioned owners of heavy duty vehicles to stop giving immature persons such vehicles to drive.
“We observe that the tragic event has been ordained to happen by the Almighty Allah and we are not suspecting anyone or organization of any evil intention for now and we have handed over the driver of the trailer to the police for onward investigation,” he said.
