The wife of slain Katsina Islamic cleric, Sheikh Yahaya Ibrahim Masussuka, has recounted how gunmen shot her husband dead in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area of the state on Monday evening.
Hajiya Fatima Masussuka, who spoke with journalists at their residence on Tuesday, said the attack occurred shortly after her husband left home to teach his Almajirai, or Islamic pupils.
She explained that she had accompanied him outside their residence as he prepared to leave but returned indoors after he realised he had forgotten his bag.
Fatima said she subsequently heard four gunshots and rushed outside, only to discover that her husband had been shot.
“My name is Fatima. I felt very bad. I accompanied him outside the house so he could go to where he teaches his students, the Almajirai, but I returned inside because he had forgotten his bag.
“Before I knew what was happening, I heard four gunshots. When I came out, I discovered that he had been shot,” she said.
Describing the deceased as a caring husband, Fatima disclosed that she was his second wife and that they had a daughter together.
Meanwhile, the Ansaru terrorist group has reportedly claimed responsibility for the killing in an audio message released on Tuesday.
The group, which is linked to Al-Qaeda, reportedly accused the cleric of being an infidel and claimed that the attack occurred at about 8:30 p.m. However, it did not provide verifiable evidence to substantiate its claim.
Ansaru broke away from Boko Haram in 2012 and has operated in parts of north-western Nigeria.
The Katsina State Police Command, however, said it had yet to authenticate the reported claim of responsibility.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, told journalists on Tuesday that the command was aware of the reports but had not confirmed their authenticity.
“We heard of the rumour making the rounds, but we are yet to authenticate the claim. We are on the field, and once we conclude the investigation, we will make it public,” Sadiq said.
The police had earlier confirmed the deaths of Sheikh Masussuka and his friend, Abubakar, in a statement issued on Monday.
According to the statement, the incident occurred at about 7:30 p.m. on October 26, 2026, in front of the cleric’s residence in Dutsin-Ma, when two armed men riding on a motorcycle opened fire on the victims.
The statement added that the Divisional Police Officer in Dutsin-Ma immediately led a team of operatives to the scene. The victims were taken to the nearest hospital, where they were pronounced dead by a doctor.
The Commissioner of Police in Katsina State, CP Ali Umar Fage, subsequently ordered the deployment of tactical and operational teams to the area, while investigations and efforts to arrest the fleeing suspects were intensified.
President Bola Tinubu has condemned the killing, describing it as heinous and an assault on the values of peace and the sanctity of human life.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President expressed deep sadness over the deaths and extended his condolences to the victims’ families, followers, and the government and people of Katsina State.
Tinubu also directed the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant security agencies to intensify ongoing operations, track down the perpetrators and ensure they are brought to justice.
Similarly, Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Radda, mourned the death of Sheikh Masussuka, describing him as a strong advocate of peaceful coexistence and interfaith harmony.
The governor assured residents that the circumstances surrounding the cleric’s killing would be thoroughly investigated and that those responsible would be brought to justice.
