The wife of the slain Katsina Islamic cleric, Sheikh Yahaya Ibrahim Masussuka, has recounted how gunmen killed her husband in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area of the state on Monday evening.
Hajiya Fatima Masussuka spoke to journalists at the family’s residence in Dutsin-Ma on Tuesday. She said the attack came shortly after her husband left home to teach his Almajirai (Islamic pupils). She had accompanied him outside, she said, but went back in when he realised he had forgotten his bag. Before she knew what was happening, she heard four gunshots, and when she came out she found that he had been shot. Fatima, who said she was his second wife and that they had a daughter together, described him as a caring husband.
The Ansaru terrorist group has reportedly claimed responsibility. In an audio message released on Tuesday, the group accused the cleric of being an infidel and reportedly said it attacked at about 8:30 pm, though it offered no verifiable evidence.
Ansaru, which is linked to Al-Qaeda, broke away from Boko Haram in 2012 and has operated in parts of the North-West. The Katsina State Police Command said it had yet to authenticate the claim. Its spokesman, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, said the command was aware of the reports but had not confirmed them, and that the findings would be made public once investigations were concluded.
Late on Monday, the police had confirmed the deaths of Masussuka and his friend, Adamu Abubakar. According to the command, the attack happened at about 7:30 pm on October 26, 2026, in front of the scholar’s residence, when two armed men on a motorcycle opened fire on both men.
Officers led by the Divisional Police Officer, Dutsin-Ma, rushed to the scene, and the victims were taken to the nearest hospital, where a doctor pronounced them dead. The Commissioner of Police, CP Ali Umar Fage, ordered tactical and operational teams into the area, and efforts were being intensified to track down the fleeing suspects.
President Bola Tinubu condemned the killings. In a statement on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, he described the act as heinous and an assault on the values of peace and the sanctity of human life. He extended condolences to the families, followers, and the government and people of Katsina State, and directed the police and other security agencies to move swiftly, intensify the efforts already under way and ensure that the perpetrators are tracked down, apprehended and brought to justice.
Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda also mourned the cleric, describing him as a strong advocate of peaceful coexistence and interfaith harmony. In a statement on Monday by his Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Mohammed, he expressed shock, urged security agencies to investigate thoroughly so that those responsible face the full weight of the law, and appealed to residents to stay calm, cooperate with security agencies and provide credible information. He cautioned against actions that could escalate tensions. He said the late cleric’s teachings centred on the Qur’an, peaceful coexistence and understanding among people of different faiths.
Masussuka, popularly known as “Peace Ambassador,” had earlier drawn the attention of the state government over his preaching. Authorities had received complaints that his sermons departed from general principles of Islamic law, while he separately complained of insults and threats from members of the Jama’atu Izalatil Bidia Wa’ikhamatus Sunna.
The dispute was referred to the Katsina Emirate Council, and Radda subsequently directed him to appear before a committee of Ulamas to respond to the allegations. Dutsin-Ma, like several local government areas in Katsina, has in recent years suffered repeated attacks blamed on armed bandits, including kidnappings and killings targeting residents, vigilantes and security operatives.
Former Kano State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, also condemned the killing in a post on his verified X account on Tuesday. He expressed concern over the growing attacks on religious scholars and other innocent citizens, called the continued loss of lives to insecurity unacceptable, and urged decisive action to protect citizens, bring perpetrators to justice and restore peace.
He said targeting religious scholars was especially troubling given their role in promoting Islamic teachings, moral values, peaceful coexistence and the spiritual development of communities. He extended condolences to the cleric’s family, students, associates and the wider Muslim community.
