Two men in Kano State will die by hanging for the murder of a 35-year-old housewife, Fatima Abubakar, and her six children in the Dorayi Chiranci area of the State.
The victims, who were murdered on January 17, 2026, were Fatima and her children: Maimuna, 17; Aisha, 16; Bashir, 13; Abubakar, 10; Faruk, seven; and Abdussalam, aged one and a half years.
Justice Nasiru Saminu of the Kano State High Court sitting at Bompai convicted and sentenced the two men on November 6, 2026.
They were convicted after Justice Saminu found Umar Auwalu, popularly known as Breaker, and Yakubu Dayyabu guilty of the killings.
The two convicts were each handed seven death sentences, one for every victim, for culpable homicide punishable with death under Section 221 of the Penal Code.
They were also sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour for conspiracy to commit culpable homicide and armed robbery.
However, the court discharged and acquitted the third defendant, Isyaku Yakubu, also known as Chebe or Chobe.
During the trial, the court heard that the attackers gained access to the victims’ residence after Fatima opened the door for Auwalu, whom she knew as her nephew.
The assailants allegedly locked the house and attacked the family with deadly objects, including a cutlass, a club and a sewing machine, killing all seven occupants.
Neighbours were said to have forced their way into the house after hearing cries for help but found that the attackers had fled the scene.
Auwalu, identified as the leader of the group, reportedly admitted partial responsibility for the crime but pleaded for leniency.
During the proceedings, he also disclosed that a herbalist identified as Thomas gave him incense and instructed him to continue carrying out similar attacks
