The cleric said he would rather maintain a low profile in his preaching and other religious activities to avoid attracting attention and potentially becoming a target.
A Muslim cleric in Yola South Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Malam Usman, says he fears he could be the next target of attacks on Islamic scholars following the killing of Sheikh Yahaya Ibrahim Masussuka in Katsina State.
Usman told Religion Journalism Foundation that the killing of clerics over their religious ideology was spreading fear among Islamic scholars.
“It is difficult to see people being killed because of their religious ideology. It makes you wonder, what if I am the next target?” he said.
Masussuka and his associate, Adamu Abubakar, were shot dead outside the cleric’s residence in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area on Monday, 26 October 2026, police said. Two gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire on the men at about 7:30 p.m., and both were pronounced dead at a hospital.
Ansaru, a militant group linked to al-Qaeda, later claimed responsibility in a video obtained by Religion Journalism Foundation. The group cited Masussuka’s advocacy of peaceful coexistence among people of different faiths, among other reasons. Police had not named Ansaru as responsible at the time of this report.
Usman said the failure to prosecute those behind earlier killings had deepened his concerns for the safety of other clerics.
“Many of the people who were killed were clerics, yet nothing happened. The perpetrators were not brought to justice. Then another killing happens, like that of Masussuka and so many others. You begin to wonder: who is next? It could be someone like me,” he said.
He said the killings could also discourage clerics from voicing views that differ from those of others, and that he was worried about the future of religious expression in the region.
“Extremism is discouraged in Islam, yet this is what we are witnessing. I do not know what the future holds for people who want to express their opinions in this part of the world. It is frightening,” he said.
Usman added that he would rather maintain a low profile in his preaching and other religious activities to avoid attracting attention and potentially becoming a target.
Islamic scholars have been targeted in northern Nigeria before. Sheikh Muhammad Auwal Adam Albani, a prominent scholar, was shot dead with his wife and son in Zaria, Kaduna State, in February 2014. Sheikh Ja’afar Mahmud Adam, another influential preacher, was also shot dead in Kano in April 2007 while leading dawn prayers at a mosque.
The Katsina State Police Command said it had launched an investigation and deployed tactical and operational teams to track down the attackers. The Commissioner of Police, Ali Umar Fage, ordered intensified efforts to identify and arrest the fleeing suspects. President Bola Tinubu has also directed security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.
Amnesty International condemned the killing and urged the Nigerian authorities to carry out an immediate and effective investigation and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice. The organisation said Masussuka had faced threats and intimidation throughout his life.