The Kano State community is currently reeling from a horrific act of violence that has claimed the lives of a mother and her six children in the Dorayi Gidan Kwari area. The victims, identified as 35-year-old Fatima Abubakar and her children—ranging from a 17-year-old daughter to a mere 18-month-old infant were brutally murdered in their home in what has been described as a cold-blooded and calculated attack.
The tragedy took a more sinister turn as the State Police Command confirmed the arrest of three suspects, including Fatima’s own nephew, 23-year-old Umar Auwalu. Auwalu was apprehended alongside two accomplices, Isyaku Yakubu and Yakubu Abdulaziz, following an intensive intelligence-led operation. In a chilling revelation, Auwalu reportedly confessed to the crime, with investigators recovering bloodstained clothing and the victims’ mobile phones in his possession.
Eyewitnesses and neighbors who spoke to Reports recounted the harrowing moments of the attack. Many described the suspects’ audacity, noting that they allegedly locked the victims inside before using heavy metal objects, including a sewing machine, to inflict fatal head injuries. Even more disturbing were claims from residents that the suspects attended the funeral of the victims, mingling with mourners and feigning grief to avoid suspicion before the police closed in on them.
For the patriarch of the family, Haruna Bashir, the loss is unfathomable. Speaking through tears, the devastated father described how his life was shattered in a single afternoon. He was at the market when he received the call that would change everything. Upon his return, he was met with the sight of his entire family wiped out. While he expressed profound heartbreak, he maintained his faith, praying for strength and hoping for a reunion in paradise.
The motive behind the massacre is still under investigation, though local whispers suggest a deep-seated dispute over family inheritance. Perhaps most shocking are the allegations from neighbors that Auwalu may be a serial offender. One resident claimed that the suspect previously confessed to a similar double murder of female relatives in the Tudun Yola area, suggesting that his previous evasion of justice emboldened him to carry out this latest atrocity.
Political leaders across the country have joined in the condemnation of the act. Governor Abba Yusuf described the killings as an “assault on our shared humanity” and directed security agencies to ensure the perpetrators face the maximum penalty. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin have also called for a swift and transparent trial, emphasizing that such level of brutality must not be allowed to take root in society.
As the investigation continues, the police have assured the public that the suspects will be charged to court as soon as the full details of their syndicate’s activities are documented. For now, the people of Kano remain in mourning, struggling to comprehend how a family member could be at the center of such a gruesome betrayal.
