Prominent Islamic cleric Sheikh Yahaya Ibrahim Masussuka and his associate, Adamu Abubakar, were shot dead by gunmen outside the preacher’s home in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area of Katsina State on Monday, October 26, 2026.
Attack and police response
- Two armed men travelling on a motorcycle allegedly fired at Masussuka and Abubakar while the scholar was outside his residence, then escaped from the area. Witness accounts varied over the precise time at which the shooting occurred.
- Both men suffered gunshot wounds and were taken to a nearby hospital, where a doctor confirmed their deaths.
- After receiving the report, the Divisional Police Officer in Dutsin-Ma led officers to the location of the attack.
- Katsina State Police Commissioner Ali Umar Fage subsequently directed tactical and operational units to deploy to the area as investigators began efforts to locate and arrest the suspects.
Police spokesperson DSP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu said the command regretted confirming the deaths of the well-known Islamic scholar and his friend following the assault by suspected gunmen. The commissioner offered condolences to the victims’ relatives, friends and followers, and said the force would work to bring those responsible to account.
Rights group demands accountability
The killings triggered condemnation from rights advocates and members of the public, who have called for a full inquiry and prosecution of those behind the attack.
Amnesty International Nigeria described the shooting as a brutal killing, saying Masussuka had been attacked by gunmen on motorcycles after leaving his home in Dutsin-Ma for his regular evening preaching. It urged authorities to ensure that the perpetrators face justice.
The organisation said the cleric regularly promoted collaboration, peaceful coexistence, dialogue across faiths and greater understanding among Muslims. It also noted that he spoke against radicalisation and violent extremism.
Amnesty International further said that Masussuka had received threats and intimidation during his life, and requested a swift, credible and effective investigation into the circumstances of his death.
Profile of Sheikh Yahaya Masussuka
Masussuka was a leading preacher in Dutsin-Ma whose religious approach focused on the Qur’an, especially Tafseerul Qur’ani bil Qur’an, a method of explaining passages of the Qur’an through other verses in the same text.
His public positions, including his criticism of some Hadith traditions, won support among some audiences but also generated controversy among Islamic scholars in northern Nigeria.
He ran Masussuka Media and was linked to the creation of Qur’an TV and Radio. He was also associated with junior and senior secondary schools in Dutsin-Ma that combined Western-style and Islamic education.
Alongside his religious work, the cleric addressed social and economic challenges. He advocated family planning as a way to help tackle poverty and insecurity across northern Nigeria. He was reported to have received several Peace Ambassador awards in recognition of efforts to advance interfaith dialogue and peaceful living.
His interpretation of Islamic doctrine nevertheless remained disputed by some Muslim scholars and organisations. In late 2025, the Katsina State Government reportedly asked him to appear before a committee of Islamic scholars after clerical groups complained that elements of his teaching conflicted with accepted Islamic principles.
The disagreement prompted wider debate about religious liberty, free expression and the protection of people facing threats or violence because of differences in religious belief.
Followers appeal for restraint
Students and associates of the late cleric used social media to express their sorrow and urge supporters to remain calm. They warned against retaliation or attempts to take justice into their own hands.
In a video shared online, Sheikh Usman Dangungun, identified as an associate of Masussuka, called on the government and security services to investigate the killing and establish who was responsible.
Appeals for restraint have been a central theme in messages from the preacher’s followers, amid fears that the death could add to tensions among religious communities.
No motive has yet been established. There is also no confirmed evidence that the shooting was connected to disputes over Masussuka’s religious teachings.
Earlier attacks on Islamic scholars
The assassination adds to a record of lethal attacks against Islamic scholars and other religious leaders in northern Nigeria.
- Sheikh Ja’afar Mahmoud Adam was killed in April 2007 while leading dawn prayers at Dorayi Central Mosque in Kano.
- Imam Ibrahim Ahmed Abdullahi was reportedly assassinated in Maiduguri, Borno State, in March 2011 after speaking out against Boko Haram’s extremist ideology.
- In February 2014, Sheikh Adam Albani, an Islamic scholar who criticised Boko Haram, was shot dead with his wife and son in Zaria, Kaduna State.
The circumstances and suspected motives in those cases were not the same, but the incidents underline the security exposure faced by religious leaders in parts of the country.
Burial preparations
Zahraddeen Suraj Abbas, described as a relative of Masussuka, said the family was arranging to take custody of the body for burial under Islamic rites.
Followers and residents have been mourning a preacher whose work drew attention both for advocating peace and for the debate surrounding his interpretations of Islam.
As burial arrangements continue, major questions remain unresolved: who carried out the attack, and why. Although Amnesty International said the cleric had faced earlier threats, it is not known whether those incidents were related to his death.
Police have opened an investigation, but the gunmen have not been identified and the reason for the attack remains unknown.
