An elderly Islamic cleric, Ladan Zubairu, was killed early Monday during a dawn prayer session at Yusuf Garko Mosque in the Maraba Quarters area of Kano, Nigerian authorities said, sparking unrest that briefly rattled the neighborhood.
Police said the suspected attacker was chased down by residents moments after the killing and beaten to death by a mob. His home was later set on fire before security forces intervened and restored calm.
The victim’s son, Isa Kasim, told reporters that his father had gone to the mosque before sunrise to call worshippers to prayer, a routine he had followed for years. After completing the first call, Kasim said, his father typically sat to recite supplications before making the second.
“He had just finished the first call and was seated when someone entered the mosque with a weapon, grabbed him and slaughtered him,” Kasim said, adding that his father’s throat was cut during the attack.
According to Kasim, youths in the area mobilized immediately after the incident and pursued the suspect. “By the will of God, the attacker did not escape. Members of the community gathered, tracked him down and killed him,” he said.
Residents later discovered the cleric’s severed throat wrapped in a nylon bag inside the suspect’s pocket, Kasim added.
The violence triggered panic in Maraba Quarters until police arrived on the scene.
In a statement, Kano State Police spokesperson Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa said officers acted quickly to contain the situation and prevent further escalation. “Our officers intervened promptly to restore calm. Normalcy has now returned to Maraba Quarters,” he said.
Police recovered the bodies of both the cleric and the suspect and transported them to the Mohammed Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital, where autopsies are expected to be carried out.
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Kano State Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Adamu Bakori has ordered a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the killing and the subsequent mob action. Kiyawa said authorities were determined to ensure accountability, noting that anyone found culpable would face prosecution.
Residents have been urged to remain calm and to share any information that could assist investigators.
The incident adds to concerns about attacks on clerics in Kano State. In September, the family of another Islamic cleric, Salim Usman, protested his death while in police custody, alleging torture. Usman, an imam from the Kuntau community in Gwale Local Government Area, reportedly died while being held by the State Criminal Investigation Department.
