A Kano State High Court has sentenced two men to death for the murder of a 35-year-old housewife and her six children in the state capital. Justice Nasiru Saminu presided over the case, which concluded on Friday with the conviction of Umar Auwalu and Yakubu Daiyebu for the killings that took place on January 17, 2026.
The victims, identified as Fatima Abubakar and her six children, were killed in Dorayi Chiranchi quarters. The court records indicate that the two convicts, who are to be executed by hanging, are residents of Sabuwar Gandu Quarters and Sabon Gida, Sharada Quarters, respectively. A third defendant, Isyaku Yakubu, aged 40, was previously discharged and acquitted by the court.
The killing was one of the most horrifying crimes in the history of criminal justice in the state, noting that the victims were murdered by relatives who ought to have protected them.
In his judgment, Justice Saminu described the incident as particularly egregious because the perpetrators were relatives of the victims. The court heard that Fatima Abubakar willingly opened the door to the first convict when he arrived with his accomplice, unaware of their intent to attack the family. The judge emphasized that the deceased was not only a victim but a mother whose life was intertwined with the hopes, welfare, and future of her children.
The two men were found guilty of culpable homicide punishable with death under Section 221 of the Penal Code for the killing of the seven individuals. During the trial, the first defendant pleaded guilty and requested leniency, while the second defendant maintained a plea of not guilty.
Addressing the surviving family, the judge expressed sympathy to Haruna Bashir, the husband of the deceased and father of the six children. Justice Saminu lamented that no judicial pronouncement could restore the deceased or adequately compensate the family for their loss.
<small>Source: The Sun Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
