A Kano State High Court has sentenced two men to death by hanging for murdering 35-year-old Fatima Abubakar and her six children in Dorayi Chiranci, Kano State.
Justice Nasiru Saminu delivered the judgment on Friday, November 6, 2026, after finding Umar Auwalu, popularly known as Breaker, and Yakubu Dayyabu guilty of the killings.
The victims were murdered on January 17, 2026, in an attack that shocked residents of Kano and sparked widespread public outrage.
Two Men Sentenced to Death
The court found the two defendants guilty of culpable homicide after considering the evidence presented during the trial.
Both men were sentenced to death by hanging for the seven counts of culpable homicide, representing each of the seven victims.
They were also sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour for conspiracy and armed robbery.
However, the court discharged and acquitted the third defendant, Isyaku Yakubu, popularly known as Chebe, after ruling that the prosecution failed to establish credible evidence linking him to the killings.
How the Kano Family Was Murdered
During the trial, Kano State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Abdulkarim Kabiru-Maude, told the court that the attack occurred on January 17, 2026.
According to the prosecution, the defendants invaded Fatima’s residence in Dorayi Chiranci, armed with sticks, an iron rod and a cutlass.
They reportedly stole ₦200,000 from the house before attacking the family.
Fatima was allegedly struck on the neck with a stick and an iron rod before being hit on the head with a sewing machine, resulting in her death.
Her six children were also attacked with knives and cutlasses.
The children were identified as Maimuna, 17; Aisha, 16; Bashir, 13; Abubakar, 10; Faruk, seven; and Abdussalam Haruna, the youngest, who was a toddler.
The prosecution further told the court that Faruk and Abdussalam were thrown into a well within the premises after the attack.
Judge Condemns Brutal Killings
Delivering his judgment, Justice Saminu described the murder of the mother and her six children as a horrific crime that challenged the conscience of society.
The judge expressed particular concern that the family was attacked by individuals who were expected to protect them, especially as Auwalu was Fatima’s nephew.
He also acknowledged the anguish suffered by Haruna Bashir, Fatima’s husband and father of the six children, who survived because he was away when the attack occurred.
The judge stressed that no compensation could restore the seven lives lost or erase the family’s trauma.
He maintained that the court’s responsibility was to administer justice based on the law and evidence.
Prosecution Welcomes Judgment
The Kano State Attorney-General, Abdulkarim Kabiru-Maude, welcomed the judgment, saying it vindicated the prosecution’s position on the involvement of the two convicts.
He disclosed that the prosecution presented eight witnesses and 30 exhibits during the trial.
Maude also commended the police for their investigation and praised officials of the Kano State Ministry of Justice for their role in securing the convictions.
He said the state government was prepared to pursue the implementation of the death sentences if the convicts failed to exercise their right of appeal within the period allowed by law.
The third defendant, despite being acquitted in the case, is reportedly facing two separate cases.
