Gunmen kill Sheikh Albany, wife, son in Zaria

Zaria as Unknowned gunmen on Saturday night shot and killed a renowned Islamic scholar, Sheikh Mohammed Auwal Albany , his wife and son, Abdallah,  on Saturday night in Zaria, Kaduna State.

His death sent shock waves across the Islamic communities in the state with many wondering the motive behind the dastardly act.

The Muslim cleric has since  been buried in Zaria on Sunday morning according to Islamic rites.

His funeral was attended by an unprecedented gathering in the ancient city.

Albany was on his way home together with his wife and son, after a preaching session at  his Salafiya Islamic Centre in Zaria, when they were said to be ambushed  near Gaskiya  area, about half a kilometre to his home, leaving four others injured including two of Albany's sons currently receiving treatment  at an undisclosed hospital in Zaria.

Malam Sahabi Musa, a student of Albany, told journalists that the assailants had trailed Albany from his centre where he normally preached, and  that some of them drove in a Golf car while others were on a motorcycle and opened fire on him and his family members when they were approaching home around 9: p.m.

According to him, 'This is reminiscent of how Sheik Jafar Adam was killed in Kano. The killers trailed him from his school where he had earlier given lectures on the religion of Islam.'

The Secretary-General of the Jamatul Nasril Islam (JNI), Dr Khalid Abubakar Aliyu had in an interview, condemned the killing of the Islamic scholar and called on the authorities to strengthen the security network and fish out the killers of innocent souls.

There was calm in Zaria on Sunday, while Muslim clerics from all over the North had continued to visit the city to condole the community on the death of the scholar.

Police and other security agents were seen keeping vigil in strategic parts of the city , but yet to come out with a statement on the killing of Sheikh Albany.