THE KANO State Government has formally assumed prosecution of the case involving the brutal murder of a housewife, Fatima Abubakar, 35, and her six children in the Dorayi Chiranchi area of Gwale Local Government.
The decision, announced on Monday by the Kano State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Abdulkarim Kabiru-Maude, SAN, follows the arrest of three suspects, including a nephew of the deceased, in a crime that has left the community traumatised.
The incident, which occurred on Saturday, January 17, 2026, claimed the lives of Maimuna, 17; Aisha, 16; Bashir, 13; Abubakar, 10; Faruk, 7; and one-year-old Abdulsalam.
According to an eyewitness account given to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the attack was marked by extreme violence.
The eyewitness, a neighbour, Malam Bala Abubakar, described hearing frantic screams, including the victim’s plea of “Umar, please don’t kill me,” which prompted residents to rush to the scene.
“Everyone came out, we all rushed to help,” Malam Bala stated, countering narratives that the community failed to act.
Abubakar recounted that neighbours surrounded the building to prevent escape and immediately alerted security agencies. Upon arriving, they discovered the attackers had not fled but were hiding within the compound; one was found concealed in a toilet.
The police, in a sting operation between January 17 and 18, arrested three suspects, led by Umar Auwalu, 23, the victim’s nephew, who allegedly confessed. Blood-stained clothes, two mobile phones belonging to the victims, a cutlass, and a club were recovered.
Community leader Malam Ahmad Ya’u Yahaya, the Ward Head of Chiranchi, revealed that some perpetrators had brazenly mingled with mourners at the victims’ funeral before being tracked down by security agencies.
Briefing journalists, the Attorney-General stated that the takeover was on the directive of Governor Abba Kabir-Yusuf.
“This heinous and inhuman act is a grave affront to humanity and the rule of law,” Kabiru-Maude said.
He commended the police for their swift response and vowed that the government would spare no effort to ensure justice is served with transparency and due process.
The community, while grieving the loss, expressed relief at the arrests. “Alhamdulillah, we are grateful they have been captured,” stated the Ward Head, Yahaya.
State authorities have urged calm and continued cooperation from the public as the prosecution proceeds.
