Kano court sentences man to death for murder of housewife
A Kano High Court has sentenced Shuaibu Abdulkadir to death by hanging for the murder of a 23-year-old housewife, Rumasa’u Shuaibu.
The Kano State High Court has sentenced Shuaibu Abdulkadir to death by hanging for the murder of a 23-year-old housewife, Rumasa’u Shuaibu. Delivering judgment, Justice Farida Rabiu-Danbappa held that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt. “I find Shuaibu Abdulkadir guilty. I hereby sentence you to death by hanging for culpable homicide,” the judge said. “May Allah have mercy on your soul. You have 90 days to appeal”.
The prosecution told the court that Mr Abdulkadir committed the offence on 6 April 2025, in Farawa Quarters in Kano. He killed Ms Shuaibu, who was a friend of his girlfriend. The prosecution presented three witnesses and tendered seven exhibits, including the confessional statement, photograph and mobile phone of the deceased, to prove its case. The convict denied committing the offence, which the prosecution stated contravened Section 221 of the Penal Code. Defence counsel Mustapha Idris pleaded for leniency, describing him as a first-time offender who had expressed remorse.
The death sentence is a stark reminder of the consequences of violence. The case also highlights the effectiveness of the judicial process in Kano State, where the prosecution secured a conviction based on evidence. The convict has 90 days to appeal, but the sentence sends a strong signal that the courts will not tolerate murder.
This echoes the 2020 Kano murder case that also resulted in a death sentence, demonstrating the state’s commitment to upholding the rule of law. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: a judicial system willing to impose the maximum penalty for the most serious crimes.
The winners: the family of the deceased, who have seen justice served; and the Kano State judicial system, which has demonstrated its effectiveness. The losers: the convict, who faces execution; and the Nigerian public, who must grapple with the moral implications of the death penalty.
Bottom Line: A man has been sentenced to death for murder in Kano. The court found him guilty beyond reasonable doubt. The question is whether the sentence will be carried out or commuted.