Kaduna State Government has rescinded its decision of charging N500,000 before granting approval for the use of Murtala Square for this year’s Eid el-Kabir prayers.
The money was waived to allow Muslims perform the prayers at the venue as they used to do for years, following outrage against the government’s decision.
Read Also: Attackers of Abuja-Kaduna train behind Kuje prison attack – Tukur Mamu
On social media, many users shared an invoice and a payment receipt purportedly made by the serving member representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Mallam Samaila Suleman, in respect to the payment for the use of Murtala Square as Eid ground.
A member of the Doka Central Mosque committee, Malam Sabi’u Garba, told the BBC that they were not happy with the levy imposed on them by the government before using the venue.
“This is something we have never heard of before, to say someone must pay for an act of worship in Northern Nigeria. This is where we have been conducting our Eid prayers. Even Sardauna (the late premier of Northern Nigeria) used to pray Eid here, just like our parents and grandparents and they were never asked to pay for them to use pray at the venue,” he said.
However, Mr Anthony Richard, the spokesman of the Kaduna Markets Development and Management Company, told the BBC that the decision to impose the levy was as a result of the renovation works carried out at the venue. He said using the venue for politics or religious purpose will henceforth require charges, adding that the decision was not rescinded because of any outrage.
“We have changed the plan for Murtala Square as a whole, and the new plan differs from the one people used to know, Richard said.
Dateline Nigeria reports that the Managing Director/CEO of Kaduna Markets Development and Management Company, Tamar Nandul, had earlier in a letter to the chairman, Doka Central Mosque, disclosed the introduction of the charges, adding that they would be allowed to use the venue for the last time for Eid prayers.
She also said a committee should be formed that will liaise with the company and the Kaduna Capital Territory Authority to identify a more suitable location for future use.
When the news of the charges broke out, a Kaduna based public analyst Adamu Jauro said asking the mosque to raise a committee that will work with the company to “identify a suitable location for future use” was a tactical quit notice to the famous Eid praying ground.
Dateline Nigeria reports that the last two Eid prayers, both led by the deposed Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi, took place at the nearby site of the demolished Durbar Hotel due to the renovation works going on inside Murtala Square.
