Ansaru, the Boko Haram faction affiliated to Al-Qaeda has claimed responsibility for the assassination of popular Islamic cleric Sheikh Yahaya Masussuka, accusing him of being an infidel.
In an audio recording confirming responsibility for the killing, Ansaru said it carried out the attack at around 8:30 pm. While the speaker mentioned ‘Talata’ (Tuesday) as the day the attack took place, which could have been a mistake, the incident actually happened yesterday, Monday.
Ansaru accused Masussuka of being anti-Islam. It did not mention any specific offence he had committed, though it suggested that the cleric’s promotion of interfaith dialogue and peaceful coexistence may have contributed to his killing.
The assassination adds to a series of security incidents in northwest Nigeria, as insecurity worsens ahead of next year’s elections.
The fact that Ansaru has claimed responsibility provides authorities with an opportunity to concentrate their efforts on the group and unravel the identities of those directly behind the attack. This is even more important given that the group also threatened those it described as enemies of Islam.
Ansaru broke away from Boko Haram in 2012 following disagreements with the leadership of Abubakar Shekau. Since then, the group has operated mainly in northwestern Nigeria, including Zamfara, Kaduna and Niger states.
In addition to Zaria, Kaduna, Kano and Abuja, Katsina has also been a prominent base for Ansaru over the years.