BREAKING: Kano court sentences two men to death for killing housewife, six children
Kano Court Sentences Two Men to Death for Murder of Woman and Her Children
A Kano State High Court has sentenced two men to death by hanging for the brutal murder of a housewife and her six children in a case that has shocked the local community. The verdict was handed down on Friday, November 6, 2026, by Justice Nasiru Saminu.
Umar Auwalu, also known as Breaker, and Yakubu Dayyabu were found guilty of the killings, which occurred on January 17, 2026. The victims were identified as Fatima Abubakar, 35, and her children: Maimuna, 17; Aisha, 16; Bashir, 13; Abubakar, 10; Faruk, seven; and Abdussalam, aged one and a half.
In delivering the judgment, the court issued seven separate death sentences for each murder, citing culpable homicide punishable by death under Section 221 of the Penal Code. Additionally, both men received life sentences with hard labor for their roles in conspiracy to commit culpable homicide and armed robbery.
A third defendant, Isyaku Yakubu, referred to as Chebe or Chobe, was acquitted of all charges.
During the trial, evidence revealed that the assailants gained access to the residence after Fatima opened the door for Auwalu, whom she believed to be her nephew. Upon entry, the attackers allegedly locked the house and assaulted the victims with various weapons, including a cutlass and a sewing machine. Neighbors, hearing cries for help, managed to break into the house but found that the assailants had fled the scene.
Auwalu, viewed as the leader of the group, reportedly confessed to partial responsibility for the crimes and pleaded for leniency. He also claimed that a herbalist named Thomas had provided him with incense and encouraged him to continue such attacks.
