Ruthless gunmen have killed a prominent Islamic cleric, Yahaya Ibrahim Masussuka and his friend, Adamu Abubakar, in the northern state of Katsina.
Spokesperson for the Katsina state police command, Abubakar Aliyu, stated in a statement on Tuesday that the duo were murdered around 7:30pm on Monday in front of the residence of the cleric in Dutsin-Ma LGA.
“The Katsina State Police Command regrets to confirm the tragic death of a prominent Islamic scholar, Sheikh Yahaya Ibrahim Masussuka, and his friend, Adamu Abubakar, following an attack by suspected armed gunmen,” the statement reads.
“The incident occurred today, Monday, 26th October 2026, at about 7:30 PM, in front of the scholar’s residence in Dutsin-Ma LGA, Katsina State, when two armed men riding on a motorcycle opened fire, fatally injuring both victims.
“Upon receipt of the report, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Dutsin-Ma, promptly led a team of operatives to the scene.
“The victims were immediately rushed to the nearest hospital for medical attention, where they were unfortunately pronounced dead by the attending medical doctor.”
The police spokesperson stated that the state’s commissioner of police, Ali Fage,
has ordered the deployment of tactical and operational teams in the area.
He further said that an inquiry had started and efforts were being boosted to track down and nab the fleeing suspects.
The attack is coming in the face of continued insecurity in Katsina state, where gunmen have raided communities, kidnapped residents for ransom and rustled cattle.
Many communities in Kaduna state have been inaundated by repeated attacks, forcing residents to flee their homes and disrupting farming and other economic activities.
