The leadership of the Muslim community at Headbridge, Onithsa is claiming that some men acting on the instruction of the Anambra State Government injured at least 10 of its members in a bid to carry out a demolition exercise on its mosque yesterday (Sunday).
The alleged government agents are said to be members of the defunct task force on parks and markets otherwise known as Ndi Mpiawazu.
Briefing reporters on the incident, the leader of the Hausa and Yoruba communities in the area, Alhaji Habib Faruk, alleged that the hoodlums numbering over 50, stormed the mosque at about 4a.m. and attacked their members.
However, the Police in Anambra State have denied the news as mere rumour that aggressors attacked Muslims on the orders the Anambra State Government.
Alhaji Habib Faruk:“We got information this morning that a group of boys suspected to be Mpiawazu attacked some of our members who slept in the mosque and ordered them to leave, some of them to tried to put up resistance were attacked with axes and machetes while their mobile phones were collected from them.”
Faruk said a bulldozer was moved in a few hours after the attack to demolish the mosque.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Raphael Uzoigwe,however insisted that the mosque was among the structures earmarked for demolition, following the government’s decision to expand the Headbridge – Upper Iweka section of the Onitsha – Enugu Expressway.
The Muslim Community is claiming that Governor (Peter Obi) promised to build a new mosque and relocate them to a place where they can transact their business, but he his yet to fulfill his vow.