Northern youth group condemns killing of cleric Sheikh Yahaya Massusuka
- The Northern Youth Frontiers condemned the killing of Islamic cleric Sheikh Yahaya Massusuka and urged a full investigation.
- The group's chairman, Sama Musa, said those behind the killing are enemies of Nigeria's peace and unity.
- The coalition also praised President Bola Tinubu for performing the Umrah pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
A coalition of youth groups in Northern Nigeria has condemned the killing of Islamic cleric Sheikh Yahaya Massusuka and called on the authorities to find and prosecute those responsible.
The Northern Youth Frontiers (NYF) made the call in a statement on Saturday, signed by its national chairman, Sama Musa.
The group said the killing of a religious leader threatens the country's fragile peace and could deepen divisions if no one is brought to justice.
Call for investigation
The NYF urged President Bola Tinubu, the Inspector-General of Police and other security agencies to open an immediate and thorough investigation.
It said the perpetrators should be identified, arrested and made to face the full weight of the law.
Musa described the late cleric as a firm believer in national unity whose teachings centred on religious tolerance, peace and mutual respect.
"The late Yahaya Massusuka was a firm believer in national unity," Musa said.
The group did not say where or when the killing happened, and no details of the circumstances have been given in the statements reviewed.
For ordinary Nigerians, the killing of a cleric is a security concern. Religious leaders are often seen as voices for calm in their communities, and attacks on them can raise tension in the areas where they are respected.
Praise for Tinubu's Umrah
The same statement commended President Tinubu for travelling to Saudi Arabia to perform the Umrah pilgrimage and pray for Nigeria's peace, unity and development.
Musa said Nigeria is a complex country of many ethnic, cultural and religious groups, and that prayer remains one of the pillars holding it together.
"The peace of our nation is paramount to national development and nation-building," he said.
The coalition also thanked Islamic and Christian clerics across the country who pray for Nigeria's unity and prosperity.
It restated its commitment to supporting leadership and initiatives that promote national cohesion, security and peaceful coexistence in all regions.
What happens next
The group's demand now rests with the police and other security agencies, which have not said publicly whether an investigation has begun.
Whether arrests follow will matter to communities watching how seriously the killing of a religious leader is treated.
