Katsina gov mourns slain Islamic cleric, calls for probe

Gunmen killed Islamic cleric Sheikh Yahaya Ibrahim Masussuka and his associate, Adamu Abubakar, during an attack outside the cleric's residence in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area of Katsina State. Daily Post Nigeria reports the incident occurred on Monday, October 26, 2026, involving two armed men on a motorcycle. Daily Trust states the attack happened at approximately 9 pm on Monday, while Premium Times reports the shooting took place on Monday night. The victims were rushed to Dutsin-Ma Hospital but were confirmed dead.

The Katsina State Police Command confirmed the deaths, and DSP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu stated that Commissioner of Police Ali Umar Fage has ordered the deployment of tactical and operational teams to the area to track down the suspects. Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda condemned the killing and called for a thorough investigation, according to Punch Nigeria.

The cleric had previously been involved in controversies regarding his religious teachings. Premium Times notes the state government had acknowledged complaints regarding threats against him nearly a year prior. Daily Trust reports that on November 18, 2025, the state government announced Masussuka would be required to defend his teachings before a committee of Islamic scholars, though there was no indication the controversy was connected to this killing.

Brief written by urgent.news from Punch Nigeria, Punch, Premium Times, Daily Trust, Daily Post Nigeria — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.