Ho Zongo Community rejects closure of Ho central mosque, calls it unjust and discriminatory
The Ho Zango community in the Volta Region has rejected the decision of the Volta Regional Security Council to close the Ho Central Mosque for two weeks as part of investigations into the Boxing Day shooting incident and processes in resolving the controversy of who should be regional Imam.
In a press statement issued by the Ulema of the Ho Zango Community, the group described the decision as unjust, discriminatory, and a violation of the constitutional right to freedom of worship.
They accused authorities of unfairly punishing a peaceful Muslim population instead of addressing the violent incident that allegedly triggered the decision.
According to the community, worship at the Ho Central Mosque had remained peaceful for many years until a group, reportedly led by one Ali Muniru, forcefully entered the mosque with armed men. They claimed the gunshots were fired within the mosque premises during the incident, putting lives at risk and desecrating the sanctity of the place of worship.
The community expressed disappointment that attention has shifted towards shutting down the mosque rather than ensuring justice, accountability, and enhanced security to prevent a recurrence of such violence. They alleged that actions taken after the incident appear to favour the Ali Muniru family instead of protecting the broader Muslim community and upholding the rule of law.
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Raising concerns over the closure, the Ulema questioned whether the perpetrators of the alleged shooting incident had been properly investigated and prosecuted, and why innocent worshippers who had no involvement in the violence are now bearing the consequences.
They further questioned whether the constitutional guarantee of freedom of worship still applies to Muslims in Ho, stressing that the closure sets a worrying precedent.
“The closure of the Ho Central Mosque is unacceptable,” the statement said, adding that the Muslim community will continue to demand justice, adequate security, and respect for their fundamental rights.
Read a copy the full statement attached below
