A Kano State High Court has sentenced two men, Umar Auwal and Yakubu Dayyab, to death by hanging for murdering a 35-year-old housewife, Fatima Abubakar, and her six children in Dorayi Chiranchi Quarters, Kano.
The court, presided over by Justice Nasiru Saminu, on Friday found the two defendants guilty of conspiracy, culpable homicide and armed robbery.
Auwal, 23, from Sabuwar Gandu Quarters, and Dayyab, 40, from Sagagi Quarters, were convicted on a nine-count charge, while the third defendant, Isyaku Yakubu, 21, of Sabon Gida Sharada Quarters, was discharged and acquitted.
Delivering judgment, Justice Saminu said the prosecution had established its case against the first and second defendants beyond reasonable doubt.
He described the killing of the woman and her six children as a horrific act that offended society’s conscience, noting that the victims had been attacked in the safety of their home.
The judge expressed particular disappointment that Auwal, who was related to Fatima as her nephew, was among those responsible for the killings.
He said the deaths had deprived seven people of the opportunity to grow and contribute to society, while leaving the husband and father, Haruna Bashir, with unimaginable grief.
Justice Saminu said no amount of compensation could bring back the deceased or erase the trauma suffered by their family.
He added that his decision was guided by the need to uphold justice rather than seek revenge, despite wishing that a punishment more severe than the one prescribed by law existed.
The court consequently sentenced both men to life imprisonment with hard labour for conspiracy and armed robbery, in addition to the death sentence for culpable homicide.
However, the judge cleared the third defendant, holding that the prosecution failed to provide credible evidence linking him to the crime.
Although telephone conversations between Isyaku and the other defendants were established, the court said their contents were not presented as evidence. It also noted that evidence placed him at Gano, attending a Qur’anic graduation ceremony when the incident occurred.
Justice Saminu ruled that the telephone records, without proof of what was discussed, amounted to suspicion rather than evidence of conspiracy.
Earlier, Kano State Attorney-General and prosecution counsel, Abdulkarim Kabiru-Maude, told the court that the crime occurred on January 17, 2026, at about 11:30 a.m.
He said the defendants allegedly armed themselves with sticks, an iron rod and a sharp cutlass before breaking into Fatima’s residence at Dorayi Chiranchi Quarters.
According to the prosecution, the attackers stole two mobile phones, an Infinix and an Itel, as well as N200,000 in cash.
Kabiru-Maude said Fatima was struck with a stick and an iron rod on her neck before being hit on the head with a sewing machine, resulting in her death.
He further told the court that her six children, identified as Maimuna, 17; Aisha, 16; Bashir, 13; Abubakar, 10; Faruk, seven; and Abdulsalam Haruna, a toddler, were beaten and stabbed with knives and cutlasses.
The prosecutor added that Faruk and Abdulsalam were subsequently thrown into a well within the compound after the attack.
While Auwal pleaded guilty to the charges, he denied throwing the children into the well. Dayyab and Isyaku, however, pleaded not guilty.
To support its case, the prosecution called eight witnesses and tendered 30 exhibits, including medical reports from Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, confessional statements, a blood-stained broken iron rod, a stool, blood-stained trousers, N200,000 cash, two mobile phones and a flash drive containing audio-visual recordings.
The prosecution said the charges were brought under Sections 97, 221 and 298(c) of the Penal Code.
The defence teams, led by J.I. Musa for the first defendant and M.S. Baba for the second and third defendants, presented five witnesses alongside the defendants in their defence.
During the proceedings, Auwal appealed for forgiveness from the court, Kano State Government, Kano Emirate Council, his family, Nigerians and his co-defendant.
Speaking with journalists after the judgment, the attorney-general commended the state counsel under the Kano State Ministry of Justice for their efforts in prosecuting the case and praised the presiding judge.
(NAN)