Wife of Slain Islamic Cleric Sheikh Masussuka Recounts How Gunmen Shot Him Dead

• The wife of Sheikh Yahaya Ibrahim Masussuka described the moments before gunmen shot her husband in Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State on Monday
• Ansaru, the Al-Qaeda-linked terror group, claimed responsibility for the killing in an audio message released on Tuesday
• Katsina State Police said it had not yet confirmed Ansaru's claim and was still investigating the attack

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over eight years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues

Katsina State - Hajiya Fatima Masussuka has described how she was standing outside her home with her husband moments before gunmen opened fire and killed him in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Legit.ng reports that suspected bandits shot dead Sheikh Yahaya Masussuka and his associate outside his residence in Dutsin-Ma, Katsina state.

Fatima said her husband, Sheikh Yahaya Ibrahim Masussuka, had been on his way to a teaching session with his Almajirai — Islamic pupils — when the attack happened.

As reported by The Punch, Fatima stated this while speaking to journalists at their residence in Dutsin-Ma on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.

"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.

Fatima, who said she was the cleric's second wife and that they shared a daughter, described him as a devoted family man. "He was indeed a caring husband," she added.

Ansaru claims responsibility for the attack

Al-Qaeda-linked terror group Ansaru has claimed it carried out the killing, releasing an audio message on Tuesday, october 27, 2026, in which it accused Sheikh Masussuka of being an infidel.

The group said it struck at around 8:30 pm but offered no verifiable evidence to support the claim.

Ansaru broke away from Boko Haram in 2012 and has remained active in parts of north-western Nigeria since then.

The Katsina State Police Command, however, said it had not been able to confirm the group's claim.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, said the command was aware of the audio circulating online but was treating it with caution.

"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

Legit.ng earlier reported that Chief Imam Liman Audu and at least three others were murdered by deadly bandits in Sokoto state.

Prominent Islamic cleric assassinated in Kwara

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Islamic cleric Alfa Iliasu was hacked to death during Quranic lessons in Kwara state, North-Central Nigeria.

A mob reportedly lynched a suspect amid unrest in the community following the tragic murder of the cleric.

Local leaders confirmed ongoing investigations into the circumstances of the tragic incident in Kwara state.