According to several eye-witnesses, the septuagenarian couldn’t ward off the bees like the other more nimble worshippers who fled to the safety of their houses and the bushes. The grandmother who was born in Sanjally Kani Kunda, Baddibu, was later taken to Brikama Health Centre and passed away early Saturday.
One of the worshippers in the mosque on that fateful Friday afternoon, swollen-faced Musa Sarr, explained: “The imam was delivering his usual Friday sermons. I was seating in the first row when all of a sudden I noticed people moving towards me apparently trying to escape from bees. We then hurriedly closed the doors and windows of the mosque. The imam brought the prayers to a quick end by reciting short verses of the Qur’an. Then the doors were opened as people tried to get to their homes but the bees stormed in ferociously stinging everyone. We all ran to safety leaving behind our shoes, motorbikes, bicycles, hats and other personal effects at the mosque.
“The old woman, Niumi, tried to amble her way out but she was helpless and was soon engulfed by the bees. She screamed for help saying, ‘You are all running and leaving me here to be killed by the bees. Help me! Help me!’” Upon hearing this, I went to a nearby shop and bought mosquito spray to try to rescue her but the bees were too much to contain. I had to ran again into the bush for my own safety as they were stinging me everywhere.”
Several other people were also taken to the Brikama Health Centre and the Brikama fire and rescue service personnel were called to the scene. Officials from the department of forestry also went to the scene. But as of Saturday morning, some bees were still in the mosque.
Buba Ceesay, the imam of Kembujeh Sabou Kunda Mosque expressed his sadness about the unfortunate incident and prayed for the soul of the late Niumi Ceesay. He described her as “a faithful servant of Allah, devoted to her family and a friend of the mosque”.
By Momodou Gajaga
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