Osun mosque shut down, sallah prayers banned as Imams battle for seat

The Osun State Government on Tuesday, May 11, 2021 announced the indefinite closure of Inisa Town Central Mosque in Nigeria following the inability of the Muslim community in the town to install a new Imam for the mosque.

A statement by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the governor, Abdullahi Binuyo, said the closure was part of the measure to forestall crisis.

Binuyo also said policemen had been deployed to ensure compliance with the closure and ban on Eid Prayers, adding that the directive would be in place until the reconciliatory process towards amicable resolution was concluded.

The statement read in parts, “Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, as part of efforts to ensure security of lives and properties in that area of the state, directed that the Central Mosque be shut indefinitely to forestall further religious or communal crisis. Already the mosque has recorded the death of two Imams in quick succession.”

Recall that Eesa of Inisa town, Chief Enoch Ajiboso, took ill and died last December while presiding over a peace meeting at the palace of Olunisa of Inisa, between groups involved in tussle for the post of Chief Imam of the town.