Hajiya Fatima Masussuka has recounted 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.
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.
Wife Describes the Attack
“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
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.
Police Yet to Confirm Claim
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.
