Low Turnout At Kano Catholic Church Over Explosion

Scene of the explosion in Sabon Gari, Kano state

The PUNCH reports that Christian worshipers, particularly at the popular Our Lady Cathedral Catholic Church, Sabon Gari, Kano State, were on Sunday still gripped with fear after the blast that rocked a residential building opposite Winner’s Academy Nursery and Primary School, Sabon Gari. The blast was reportedly from a gas explosion and left nine people dead.

At the Sunday Morning Mass, the Cathedral, which used to be filled to capacity with worshippers, recorded a low number of attendants, as the seats were sparsely populated.

Previously, all the seats in the cathedral were often filled, while the church ushers often provided additional seats for the overflowing worshippers outside the cathedral.

However, it was not the scenario at Sunday’s mass as all worshippers, who took the risk to attend 6:30 am mass were comfortable but the cathedral was still sparsely populated.

During the sermon, the officiating Reverend Father commended the efforts of the worshippers in attending the Sunday mass, despite the gas explosion that rocked some parts of Sabon Gari, which had been and still generating controversy among residents in the vicinity over the cause of the explosion, which vibration was felt within five kilomeres range from the scene of the blast.

The Cathedral’s Ministry of Defence fortified security arrangements as worshippers were subjected to screening with bomb detectors before been allowed entry into the Cathedral premises. This was just as all cars were only allowed to park about 200 metres away from the cathedral.

Similarly, more security operatives, as never before, were drafted in and around the cathedral, as part of measures to avert any unforeseen disaster.