In a shocking act of violence that has shattered the peace of a community, an elderly muezzin was brutally killed during the sacred pre-dawn prayers in Kano. Ladan Zubairu, the cleric of Yusuf Garko Mosque in the Maraba Quarters, had his throat slit shortly after delivering the first call to prayer (adhan) on the morning of Monday.
According to a harrowing account from the victim’s son, Isa Kasim, the attack was sudden and ruthless. Zubairu had completed the initial adhan and was seated, reciting supplications, when an assailant entered the mosque. “He had just finished the first call and was seated when someone entered the mosque with a weapon, grabbed him and slaughtered him. In short, his throat was slit,” Kasim recounted. The incident was reported by multiple national outlets, including Punch and Legit.ng.
The community’s grief swiftly turned to furious retaliation. After pursuing and lynching the suspected attacker, residents discovered a severed body part wrapped in a nylon bag in his pocket. In a further escalation, the mob set the assailant’s residence ablaze, forcing police to intervene to restore order and prevent wider chaos.
Kano State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, confirmed the tragic event, stating that both bodies were conveyed to Mohammed Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital for autopsy. Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Adamu Bakori has ordered a thorough investigation, emphasizing the command’s commitment to uncovering the motive and delivering justice.
While the precise motive remains unclear, this attack amplifies growing concerns over violence targeting religious figures in Kano State. It recalls other troubling incidents, including the death of a cleric in police custody in September 2025 and past cases linked to blasphemy allegations.
The community in Maraba Quarters is now left grappling with profound shock and trauma.
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