A wave of grief and fear swept through parts of Kano on Saturday after suspected hoodlums reportedly killed a housewife and her six children, including an infant, in their home during a deadly early-morning attack.
The tragic incident occurred in the densely populated Dorayi Chiranci area of the city, where the assailants allegedly stormed the family’s private residence and killed the mother and five of her children, while the infant was later found in a well, according to an eyewitness account.
A resident of the area, Isiyaka Yakubu, said the entire community was thrown into mourning in the early hours of Saturday when a neighbour ran out of the victims’ house, raising alarm and calling for help.
Although Yakubu could not identify those responsible for the attack, he said the incident has triggered fear and tension across the neighbourhood.
“This is worrisome and unexplained. The ugly incident occurred in the early hours, and everyone is under tense situation now. The neighbour who came out of the house told us she found everyone in the house in a pool of their blood. Later, we discovered a small baby had been thrown into the well in the compound.
“We have reported the case to the police and I think action will be taken to unravel those behind the dastardly act. The entire Dorayi Chiranci and Dorayi Babba cannot sleep with their eyes closed. This has never happened in this area before,” he said.
While the full circumstances surrounding the attack remain unclear, security operatives disclosed that investigations had commenced into the horrifying incident.
Police confirm incident
Meanwhile, the Kano State Police Command has confirmed that the number of casualties in the gruesome killing has risen to seven.
The Command’s spokesperson, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, confirmed the development on Saturday, stating that a full investigation had been launched to uncover the circumstances surrounding the attack.
In a statement, Kiyawa explained that the victims were Fatima Abubakar (35) and her six children, who were attacked by unknown hoodlums that broke into their home.
“The Kano State Police Command received a distress call at approximately 12:10 pm on January 17, 2025, reporting a brutal attack on the household of Haruna Bashir at Dorayi Charanchi Quarters.
“The report indicated that the victims were attacked with dangerous weapons, resulting in fatal injuries. The Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, PhD, immediately mobilised a police team led by Deputy Commissioner of Police in Charge of Operations, DCP Lawal Isah Mani, to the scene.
“Bodies were evacuated and rushed to Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital, Kano, where they were pronounced dead. A team led by ACP Wada Jarma, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Criminal Investigation Department (CID), was instructed to conduct a thorough investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice,” Kiyawa added.
The police assured residents that efforts were ongoing to identify and arrest those responsible for the killings, as the community continues to grapple with shock and sorrow.
