New Zealand mosque massacre: Nigerian imam survives attack, speaks
Nigerians are a well travelled beings. They transverse around the globe in search of greener pasture. Even though some of them have soiled the country's good name, there are still some who have made the country proud in their chosen endeavours.
A Nigerian man was the spiritual leader at one of the mosques that was attacked in New Zealand recently.
Alabi Lateef Zirullah was the prayer leader at the Linwood mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand where a lone gunman, Brenton Tarrant, opened fire on worshippers killing at least seven people, after already killing 42 others at the Al Noor mosque on Friday, March 15.
At the Linwood mosque, worshippers were about to drop to the floor for the second part of the prayer service at around 1.55pm when Lateef spotted the gunman.
On hearing gunfire outside the mosque, Lateef allegedly screamed at worshipers to go down so as to take cover.
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He revealed in a chat with The New Zealand Herald, that: “When I saw those Muslims shot dead, I just told our brothers, ‘Go down! Go down! Somebody has just shot our brothers outside the masjid."
Nigerian, Alabi Lateef Zirullah, Linwood mosque Imam in Christchurch, New Zealand. Source: New Zealand Herald
Source: UGC
"No one listened to me until unfortunately he came from behind and he shot one of our brothers in the head through the window. He saw him standing and shot him through the window. When glass got broken and the brother fell down, everyone realised to go down.”
Zirullah later called emergency services and tried to help the dying and wounded after the gunman had left.
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Legit.ng had reported that following the shooting incident, a formidable crowd of Muslims have defied the increased terror threats and they took to Lakemba mosque in Sydney's south west to attend Friday prayers (Jumaat). They were surrounded by dozens of police who swarmed the mosque at 7:17pm to ensure everyone's safety.
Given the incident that had happened to their New Zealand brothers and sisters, the mood at Lakemba mosque was quiet and meditative. But it could be noticed that people were determined to fight the oppression.
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Source: Legit.ng