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A controversial Islamic cleric in Nigeria was shot and killed outside his residence in the northern state of Katsina. Two attackers on a motorcycle targeted 47-year-old Yahaya Masussuka in Dutsin-Ma as he bade farewell to visitors on Monday evening, sources told BBC News.
Fatal Attack and Police Response
The preacher and one of his visiting guests sustained gunshot wounds during the attack. Both men were rushed to a medical facility, where the attending physician pronounced them dead, according to police statements.
Authorities have not yet determined the motive behind the shooting. However, the cleric had previously received death threats online after publishing video recordings that challenged certain mainstream Islamic beliefs, including traditional views on the afterlife.
Controversial Teachings and Background
Mainstream Islamic tradition holds that two angels question a person’s soul in the grave, determining whether the soul rests peacefully or faces torment until judgement day. This concept derives from the Hadith, a compilation of the sayings and actions attributed to the Prophet Muhammad that serves as a vital tool for interpreting the Quran.
Rather than relying primarily on the hadiths, Masussuka based his teachings directly on the Quran and rejected the idea that the deceased are reawakened for questioning. His outspoken views once led to a nine-month prison sentence after he mocked respected scholars for adhering to those specific teachings.
Masussuka started preaching in Quranic schools at age 13 before pursuing further education at Egypt’s Al-Azhar University and later in Oman. He leaves behind two wives and seven children, operating a home studio to record and broadcast his lectures to followers online.
Peace Advocacy and Regional Violence
Alongside his theological stances, Masussuka actively spoke out against violent extremism and radicalisation. He also promoted interfaith dialogue and peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Christians, two religious groups that comprise nearly equal portions of Nigeria’s population and have experienced decades of ethnic and religious conflict.
In recognition of these peace efforts, Nigeria’s Network for Good Governance and Transparency presented him with a Peace Ambassador Award last year. His death adds to a list of six other prominent Muslim preachers killed across northern Nigeria over the past twenty years, a region where groups like Boko Haram have targeted critics since launching their jihadist insurgency in 2009.
