Kano Murder Suspect Tells Court He Killed Woman and Six Children on Witch Doctor's Orders

A 23-year-old man has told a Kano State High Court that he killed a woman and her six children after being instructed to do so by a traditional healer known as Thomas.

                                          

Umar Auwalu made the admission on Wednesday while testifying before Justice Nasiru Saminu at High Court No. 11. He acknowledged killing Fatima Abubakar, who was his uncle's daughter, and her six children, stating that a herbalist and traditional healer provided him with incense and directed him to carry out the killings.

The bodies of Fatima Abubakar and her six children were discovered at their home in Dorayi Chiranchi, Kano, on January 17, 2026.

The defendant's testimony included several elements that the court will need to evaluate carefully as the trial proceeds.

He admitted personal responsibility for the killings. He named Thomas, described as a herbalist and traditional healer, as the person who gave him the instruction and provided incense for the purpose. He claimed his two co-defendants, Yakubu Dayyabu and Isyaku Yakubu Chobe, had no involvement in the murders. And he alleged that he only implicated them during police questioning because he was subjected to torture while in custody.

Each of these claims carries significant legal weight. The admission of guilt is on the record. The claim of torture during police detention, if substantiated, would raise serious concerns about the integrity of the investigation and the rights of all three accused. The exculpation of the co-defendants contradicts the prosecution's case against them, and the court will have to weigh that against whatever other evidence has been presented.

Both the prosecution and defence called witnesses during Wednesday's hearing. Justice Saminu adjourned the case to July 21 to continue the trial.

The Kano murder Fatima Abubakar six children trial 2026 has been moving through the courts since the bodies were found in January. Auwalu and two co-defendants were initially arraigned before a magistrates' court in February on charges including conspiracy, robbery, rape, and culpable homicide. The case was subsequently reviewed by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions and transferred to the High Court, where the three now face nine counts.

Auwalu has pleaded guilty. His co-defendants, Dayyabu and Chobe, have entered not guilty pleas.