Kano State Government has filed fresh criminal charges against the prime suspects in the alleged murder of a 35- year-old Fatima Abubakar, and her six children at Dorayi Chiranchi Quarters in the state.
The suspects: Umar Auwalu, 23; Isyaku Yakubu, 40, and Yakubu Abdulaziz, 22, are slammed with an eight-count charge of conspiracy, criminal trespass, robbery, culpable homicide, rape, mischief by fire, possession of dangerous weapons and inflicting injuries before Kano High Court.
The defendants, who are standing trial before a Chief Magistrate’s Court, were being prosecuted by Kano State Police Command, who carried out their arrest and filed their first information report after intelligent gathering.
Kano State Solicitor-General, Salisu Muhammad-Tahir, at the resumed hearing of the criminal case on Wednesday, informed the court of the state’s intent to review the case considering additional evidence uncovered against the defendants.
Mohammad-Tahir notified the magistrate about the fresh criminal charges already filed before the State High Court to secure justice for the seven victims.
In his argument, the prosecuting counsel disclosed that the suspects are assumed to have committed murder and other related criminal crimes, an offence that contravenes sections 97, 221, 283, 298, 319, 336 and 348 of the Penal Code.
The Solicitor- General also revealed the arrest of additional suspects in connection with the major offence.
He posited that the prime suspects have a case to answer in all the eight charges involving the murder of the housewife and her six children.
“We have prepared and filed a charge before Justice Nasiru Saminu of the State High Court.
“Even though in our legal advice it appears we have five suspects, which includes the three defendants and two others: Sama’ila Garba (at large) and Umar Ali, however, in our advice to the fourth and fifth defendants, the charges should be terminated against them pursuant to section 376 of ACJL.
“Your Worship, we have already taken a date before the State High Court to arraign the defendants on April 1, 2026.
“We shall be asking for another date to terminate the First Information Report (FIR) after taking their plea before the high court,” the prosecution said.
Responding, the defence counsel, A.S. Tunkuye, told the court that he had no objection to the filing of the case before the State High Court.
The Chief Magistrate, Auwal Yusuf-Suleiman, ordered the remand of the defendants in a correctional facility and adjourned to April 8, 2026 for further mention.
The tragic incident occurred in January 2026 when the killers invaded the private residence of the deceased in Dorayi Chiranci Quarters in the city, and slaughtered the mother, six children, including an infant child dumped in a well.
The guardian
