The Kano High Court on Friday sentenced Umar Auwal and Yakubu Dayyab to death by hanging for the murder of a housewife, Fatima Abubakar, 35, and her six children at Dorayi Chiranchi Quarters, Kano.

Mr Auwalu, 23, of Sabuwar Gandu Quarters, and Mr Dayyabu, 40, of Sagagi Quarters, were convicted on a nine-count charge of conspiracy, culpable homicide, and armed robbery.

The ​‌⁠​‍‍⁠⁠‍‌⁠⁠‍‍​‍‌‌​third defendant, Isyaku Yakubu, 21, of Sabon Gida Sharada Quarters, was discharged and acquitted.

Delivering judgment, Justice Nasiru Saminu held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt against the first and second defendants.

The judge described the brutal killing of the mother and her six children as a horrific crime that challenged the conscience of society.

He said the deceased were entitled to the protection of their home but were attacked by people who ought to have protected them, noting that the first defendant was the nephew of the deceased, Fatima.

“Uncle of the children turned to a bonfire and monster. Seven opportunities have been permanently lost to grow into responsible members of society,” Mr Saminu said

He said PW4, Haruna Bashir, the husband and father of the deceased, had been thrown into anguish, adding that no compensation could restore the lives lost or erase the trauma.

“How I wish there were a punishment heavier than this. My emphasis is not to administer vengeance but justice,” he said

The judge sentenced Mr Auwalu and Mr Dayyabu to life imprisonment with hard labour each for conspiracy and armed robbery.

He also sentenced the defendants each to death by hanging for culpable homicide.

Mr Saminu discharged and acquitted the third defendant, saying there was no credible evidence establishing that he conspired with the first and second defendants.

He said that although there were telephone conversations between the third defendant and the first and second defendants, the contents of the conversations were not established.

The judge added that evidence showed that Mr Isyaku was at Gano attending a Qur’anic graduation ceremony at the time of the incident.

“Since the content of the conversation has not been proven, it remains a mere suspicion,” he ruled

Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Attorney General of Kano State, Abdulkarim Kabiru-Maude, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on January 17, 2026, at Dorayi Chiranchi Quarters, Kano.

Mr Kabir-Maude said that on the same date, at about 11:30 a.m., the defendants conspired, armed themselves with sticks, an iron rod, a sharp cutlass and trespassed into the house of Fatima, situated at Dorayi Chiranchi, robbed her of her two handsets (Infinix and Itel) and a cash sum of N200,000.

“In the process, the defendants hit Fatima with a stick and an iron rod on her neck and hit her with a sewing machine on her head, which killed her.

“On January 17, 2026, at about 11:30 a.m., Umar and Dayyabu hit Fatima’s six children; Maimuna, 17, Aisha, 16, Bashir,13, Abubakar, 10, Faruk, seven, and Abdulsalam Haruna, a toddler, with a stick and stabbed them with a knife and a sharp cutlass on their face, body and head, and they died instantly.

“The defendants also, after killing the children, threw Faruk and Abdulsalam into a well at the house,” he said.

Mr Umar pleaded guilty to the charges but denied throwing the children into the well, while the second and third defendants pleaded not guilty.

The prosecution presented eight witnesses and tendered 30 exhibits, which included medical reports from Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano, confessional statements, a blood-stained broken iron rod, stool and blood-stained trousers.

Others were N200,000 cash, two handsets, and a flash drive containing audio-video recording, among others, to prove their case against the defendant.

According to the prosecutor, the offences contravened sections 97, 221, and 298(c) of the Penal Code.

The first defence counsel, J I Musa, and counsel to the second and third defendants, MS Baba, presented five witnesses and the defendants to prove their case.

Mr Auwalu sought forgiveness from the court, the Kano State government, Kano Emirate Council, his family and Nigerians, as well as the second defendant.

Speaking to 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,as well asd the judge. 

(NAN)