A chilling warning about a young girl who was rescued after being lured by what a councillor described as a group of ‘human wolves’ has added urgency to calls to demolish an abandoned house in A’ali before it becomes the scene of another tragedy.
Northern Municipal Council member and A’ali and Ramli councillor Abdulla Ashoor told the council that abandoned House 513, Road 4015, Block 740, had remained a serious concern for residents, warning that failure to act immediately could result in ‘a catastrophe’.
He highlighted a recent incident in which a Bahraini girl was rescued by residents after a group preyed on her and dragged her to the abandoned building.
The urgent proposal, backed by fellow councillors Bassem Abu Idrees, Abdulla Shareeda Al Thawadi and Mohammed Al Dossary, was unanimously approved during the first meeting of the exceptional municipal term and referred to Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture Minister Wael Al Mubarak for review.
Mr Ashoor
Mr Ashoor said the deteriorating property had become more than an eyesore, with rubbish, rodents, insects and stray animals gathering around it and creating risks for residents and passers-by.
But he also raised a darker concern – that neglected and isolated properties can become magnets for criminal or other undesirable activities.
During the meeting, Mr Ashoor recalled an incident involving a young girl who had been rescued after being lured by people he described as ‘human wolves’.
He warned that allowing a vulnerable property to remain unattended could create opportunities for similar incidents.
“We cannot wait for a catastrophe before taking action,” Mr Ashoor said.
“If something happens because an abandoned house was left in this condition, the question will be why we did not act when the danger was already known.”
He said the council had repeatedly sought action on the property.
The Northern Municipality director-general was first contacted on August 6, 2025, with a request for measures to demolish the house.
A response later that month said that procedures had previously been taken and that new procedures relating to dilapidated buildings would be followed.
Further correspondence was sent in November last year seeking an update, while the council had also co-ordinated a field visit to the property.
Mr Ashoor said he contacted the director-general again on April 29 this year seeking action, but had received no response.
For Mr Ashoor, however, the message is simple: the clock is ticking.
“An abandoned house can be repaired, secured or demolished – but once it becomes the setting for a tragedy, there is no going back,” he said.
Mr Abu Idrees
Co-signer Mr Abu Idrees said abandoned properties should not be allowed to deteriorate until they become a threat to the surrounding community.
“Public safety must come first. When a property is left open to waste, pests and stray animals, the problem does not remain inside its walls – it spreads into the neighbourhood,” he said.
Mr Al Thawadi said prolonged neglect could also undermine residents’ sense of security.
Mr Al Thawadi
“We are talking about a property in a residential area. Residents have the right to feel safe around their homes, and dangerous abandoned buildings require decisive action,” he said.
Mr Al Dossary said the council’s repeated follow-ups demonstrated the seriousness of the issue.
Mr Al Dossary
“Once an abandoned building reaches this condition, leaving it unresolved only increases the potential risks and the eventual cost of dealing with them,” he said.
Northern Municipality director-general Mohammed Al Sehli said new, improved cleanliness contracts with existing companies would include the demolition of houses considered dangerous, following notification to the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, where required.
Mr Sehli’s comments offer a potential route towards finally removing the long-standing hazard.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))