Nigeria: Ansaru claims responsibility for cleric Yahaya Masussuka’s killing

The militant group Ansaru, a breakaway faction of Boko Haram, has claimed responsibility for the killing of Islamic cleric Yahaya Masussuka. The attack occurred on the evening of 26 October in Katsina State, Nigeria, when two assailants on a motorcycle shot Masussuka and his friend, Adamu Abubakar, outside Masussuka’s home.

Masussuka’s death has highlighted deep religious tensions and the complex security landscape in northern Nigeria. His teachings, which included the controversial view that Prophet Muhammad did not have Hadiths, had drawn criticism from various theological rivals. While some supporters initially suspected rival scholars of involvement, there is currently no evidence linking those groups to the assassination.

Sheikh Halliru Maraya, a Kaduna-based cleric, has called for a thorough investigation, noting that while Masussuka’s views contradicted established Islamic jurisprudence, the killing remains a violation of both religious principles and the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of thought and religion.