Chirenchi Killings: Finally, Court Sentences Two to Death for Murder of Housewife, Six Children
A Kano State High Court has sentenced two men to death by hanging for the gruesome killing of a housewife, Fatima Abubakar, and her six children in the Dorayi Chiranchi area of Kano State.
The victims were murdered on January 17, 2026, in what became known as the Chirenchi killings, a horrific incident that shocked residents of Kano and sparked widespread public outrage.
The convicts, Umar Auwalu, 23, and Yakubu Daiyebu, 21, were also sentenced to life imprisonment for conspiracy to commit culpable homicide and armed robbery.
Delivering judgment, Justice Nasiru Saminu described the incident as one of the most disturbing criminal cases handled by the state’s justice system, expressing concern that the victims were attacked by people who were relatives and should have protected them.
The court heard that Fatima had opened her door to the first defendant when he arrived at her residence with his accomplice, unaware of their alleged criminal intentions.
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Justice Saminu said the defendants betrayed the trust reposed in them before carrying out the attack, which claimed the lives of the woman and her six children.
The judge described the tragedy as an irreparable loss, noting that seven lives had been extinguished and that the victims had been deprived of their future contributions to society.
He also sympathised with the deceased woman’s husband, Haruna Bashir, who lost his wife and all six children in the incident, describing the emotional and personal consequences of the killings as enormous.
The judge, however, stressed that the court was guided by the law and evidence presented during the trial, rather than emotions or the desire for revenge.
He also referred to Quran 5:45, which provides for the principle of life for life, before imposing the death sentences under Section 221 of the Penal Code.
Meanwhile, the third defendant, Isyaku Yakubu, 40, was discharged and acquitted for lack of sufficient grounds to convict him.
During the proceedings, Auwalu reportedly admitted his involvement in the crime and pleaded for mercy, while Daiyebu maintained his innocence.
The judgment brings a significant development in the prosecution of the January 17 killings, which devastated a family in Dorayi Chiranchi and became one of Kano’s most widely discussed murder cases in 2026.
Credit: Veracity Gist
