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• Kano mourns murder of housewife, six children
By Desmond Mgboh
On Saturday January 17 2026, the ancient city of Kano erupted in crude shock following the tragic murder of a 35-year -old housewife, Fatima Abubakar and her six lovely children right inside their Chirerechi Dorayi Quarters home in Gwale Local Government Area of the state.
Among those killed were Maimuna, aged 17; Aisha, 16; Bashir, 13; Abubakar, 10; Faruk, seven, and Abdulsalam, who was just one and a half years old before the assailants cut off his life and the lives of his mother and siblings.
The story of what exactly transpired and why it happened is still being pieced together by the appropriate authorities. However, a witness said that residents suddenly heard a strange noise from the quarters. And by the time they could reach the troubled home, the did was done and the victims were already dead.
One of such witnesses, Bala Abubakar told reporters that he heard frantic shouts and screams for help, prompting him to rush outside, still wrapped in a towel, to join other neighbours who had poured into the narrow street leading to the scene. He reasoned that the assailants perhaps used the head of a sewing machine to crush their skulls and hasten their passage to the other world
The tragic incident, coming barely two months after a young man hacked his biological mother to death with a machete at Sabon Garri Quarters in the state, is one of the recurrent cases of death caused by highly violent means, as a result of which the state is today mourning the victims of the recent killings, even as residents are distressed by the rampant threats to lives and property in the state.
Kano State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, who confirmed the tragic deaths told Sunday Sun that when the police arrived the scene of the incident, they met a total of seven bodies in a pool of blood and rushed them to the Murtala Mohammed Specialists Hospital, where they were confirmed death on arrival by the doctors on duty..
He said that so far, three suspected masterminds of the cruel murder have been arrested, adding that the suspects included the nephew of the deceased woman, Umar Auwalu.
But he could not hazard a guess as to why they callously murdered the woman and her innocent children in such a horrendous manner, wiping out her entire family.
Umar, who resides at Sabuwar Gundu in the state capital, is unmarried and has no tangible job, he disclosed, adding that it was Umar who led the gang to the home for their operation on that fateful day.
He recalled that upon interrogation, Umar confessed his involvement in the murder and named his friend, 21 year old Yakubu Abdulazeez of Sabuwar Gidan Quarters as one of t he gang members who killed the woman ,.
“Following the arrest of the two suspects, they both concurred that they were contracted for the murder by one of the deceased’s family members named Isyaku Yakubu Chibe.
A long list of incriminating evidence linked to the murder was found at Umar’s house during his arrest. They included two phones that belonged to the deceased which were discovered in his pocket, a keypad.
His white trouser, it was further gathered, was stained with blood while his hand was laced with scars of injuries he most probably sustained during the struggle with the deceased.
“We searched and found in Umar’s room sticks, cutlass, clubs and money,” said the police spokesman.
According to the police, during the course of the investigation, it was found that the gang was behind the recent murder of two co-wives at Tundu Yola. After the murder, the suspects were alleged to have subsequently burnt the bodies of the deceased.
“Umar, in addition to these crimes, also confessed that he killed his own kid sister and threw her dead body into a nearby uncompleted building at Sabuwar Gundu in Kano” the spokesman added..
“At least , three murder cases have been linked with Umar, Yakubu and Isyaku Chibe. This Isyaku Chibe is their group leader. He is the one that issues the orders to kill,” Kiyawa stated
“The police are working hard to get all the evidence before taking them to court.
“I want to appeal to the public if they should find anything or anybody suspicious, they should not hesitate to report the to the nearest police station,” said the spokesman
In the meantime, the incident has put the entire state in a mourning mode. The incident has attracted harsh condemnations from government officials and from political actors across all divides. Across the city, the anger is unprecedented and the people are inconsolable.
The Ward Head of Chiranchi, Gidan Kwari, Ahmad Ya’u Yahaya was deeply aggrieved over the tragedy, condemning the murder as unthinkable. He was, however, delighted that the suspected perpetrators have been arrested
He said that he rushed to the tragic scene of the incident only to be confronted with an unbelievable sight of gore and gloom.
Yahaya commended the security agencies for their professionalism in apprehending the suspects through intelligence-led investigations.
Kano State Governor, Abba Kabiru Yusuf, described the tragedy as totally unacceptable and vowed to sign the death warrants of the suspects once they are convicted by the court.
A statement issued by the Director General Media and Publicity, Sanusi Bature said the Governor made the pledge during a condolence visit to the bereaved family, where he expressed sympathy over the incident .
The governor also directed the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state to fast-track the prosecution of the suspects arrested in connection with the killings and commended the security agencies for their swift action in arresting the suspects.
He also approved a welfare package for the father of the home. The package includes sponsorship for Hajj and Umrah, a new house, and full welfare support.
In appreciation, the bereaved father donated his personal house to the Kano State Government for the construction of an Islamiyya school.
