Gunmen killed the Islamic preacher and a guest in Katsina, where his teachings had drawn online death threats.
Gunmen killed Islamic cleric Yahaya Masussuka outside his home in Dutsin-Ma, in Nigeria’s northern Katsina state, on Monday evening. A guest also died after the attack, police said.
Sources familiar with the incident said two attackers arrived on a motorcycle as the preacher said goodbye to visitors. Both victims reached hospital, but the attending doctor confirmed their deaths, police said.
The motive remains unclear. However, the 47-year-old cleric had received death threats on social media, where he shared videos challenging some mainstream Islamic teachings.
Yahaya Masussuka challenged religious teachings
Masussuka based his teachings mainly on the Quran and questioned some hadiths. These texts record what Muslims believe were the words and actions of the Prophet Muhammad.
The Hadith also serves as a major source of Islamic knowledge and helps believers interpret the Quran. One widely held teaching describes two angels questioning a person’s soul in the grave.
Under that belief, correct answers bring peaceful rest until judgement day, while incorrect answers lead to torment. Masussuka, however, rejected the belief that the dead awaken for questioning.
He once spent nine months in jail for mocking respected scholars over this belief and other teachings.
The preacher began teaching in Quranic schools at 13. He later attended Al-Azhar University in Egypt before pursuing further studies in Oman.
At home, he maintained a studio where he recorded religious videos for his social media followers. He had two wives and seven children.
Preacher also promoted peaceful coexistence
Alongside his religious teaching, Masussuka spoke against violent extremism and radicalisation. He also promoted interfaith dialogue and peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Christians.
The two faith communities make up nearly equal shares of Nigeria’s population. Thousands of Christians and Muslims have died in ethnic and religious violence over the past 25 years.
In recognition of his peace efforts, Nigeria’s Network for Good Governance and Transparency gave him a Peace Ambassador Award last year.
Meanwhile, six other prominent Muslim preachers have died in killings across northern Nigeria over the past two decades. Boko Haram targeted several of them for criticising the group.
The jihadist group began its insurgency in 2009 and seeks to establish an Islamic state. However, the motive behind Masussuka’s killing remains unknown.
