A Kano State High Court sitting at Bompai has sentenced two men to death by hanging for the gruesome murder of a 35-year-old housewife and her six children in Dorayi Chiranci, Kano.
Justice Nasiru Saminu delivered the judgment on Friday, finding Umar Auwalu, popularly known as Breaker, and Yakubu Dayyabu guilty of culpable homicide.
The court handed each convict seven death sentences — one for each victim — under Section 221 of the Penal Code.
The victims, murdered on January 17, 2026, were identified as:
– Fatima Abubakar, 35
– Maimuna, 17
– Aisha, 16
– Bashir, 13
– Abubakar, 10
– Faruk, 7
– Abdussalam, 1½ years
The convicts were also sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour for conspiracy to commit culpable homicide and armed robbery.
A third defendant, Isyaku Yakubu, also known as Chebe, was discharged and acquitted.
The court heard that the attackers gained access to the victims’ residence after Fatima opened the door for Auwalu, who is her nephew.
The assailants allegedly locked the house and attacked the family with a cutlass, a club and a sewing machine, killing all seven occupants.
Neighbours reportedly forced their way into the house after hearing cries for help, but the attackers had already escaped.
Auwalu, identified as the leader of the group, admitted partial responsibility for the crime but pleaded for leniency.
He alleged that a herbalist identified as Thomas supplied him with incense and instructed him to continue carrying out similar attacks.
He also attempted to exonerate his co-defendants, claiming he mentioned their names following police torture. The court rejected the defence.
Investigations also linked the suspects to an earlier attack in Tudun Yola in November 2025, during which two women related to Auwalu were killed and their residence set ablaze.
Delivering his remarks, Justice Saminu described the killings as among the most horrifying crimes in the history of criminal justice, noting that the victims were murdered by individuals expected to protect them.
“The convicts took advantage of the trust placed in them by the family,” he said.
“Seven lives have been lost. Seven human destinies have been terminated. Seven opportunities to experience life with its aspirations and contributions to society have been permanently extinguished.”
Justice Saminu expressed sympathy with Haruna Bashir, husband of Fatima and father of the six children, who survived because he was away at the market when the attack occurred.
He however stressed that the court was required to administer justice based on law and evidence rather than vengeance.
