A Kano State High Court has sentenced two young men to death by hanging for the murder of a 32-year-old man, Dahiru Musa, who was the employer of one of the convicts.
The court also sentenced a third defendant to seven years’ imprisonment for his involvement in events surrounding the burning of the victim’s body.
Delivering judgment on Monday, November 2, 2026, Justice Fatima Adamu held that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The two men sentenced to death are Adamu Aliyu, 22, of Gaida Yan Kusa Quarters, Kano, and Mubarak Abdulsalam, 20, of Mandawari Quarters, Kano.
The third convict, Sadiq Sunusi, 19, received a seven-year prison sentence for abetment.
Court Finds Two Men Guilty of Conspiracy and Murder
Aliyu and Abdulsalam were convicted on two counts of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide.
According to the prosecution, the offences occurred on September 29, 2024, at Gaida Yan Kusa Quarters in Kano.
The prosecution alleged that the two men conspired to kill Musa, who was Aliyu’s employer.
The court heard that the victim was poisoned with rat poison before being stabbed repeatedly with knives.
Justice Adamu found the prosecution’s evidence sufficient to establish the charges against the two defendants.
Prosecutor Explains How Victim’s Body Was Burned
Kano State Solicitor-General and prosecution counsel Salisu Muhammad-Tahir told the court that the incident continued into the following day.
According to the prosecution, on September 30, 2024, at approximately 6 p.m., Sunusi accompanied Abdulsalam to Gaida Quarters, where petrol was purchased.
The two subsequently proceeded to an uncompleted building.
Muhammad-Tahir said Abdulsalam used the petrol to burn Musa’s body, while Sunusi, who knew it was a human corpse, failed to report the incident to the authorities.
The prosecution maintained that the burning was intended to conceal evidence of the killing.
Five Witnesses Testify as Court Reviews Exhibits
The prosecution called five witnesses during the trial.
It also presented several exhibits, including knives, confessional statements and video evidence, to support its case.
The charges were brought under Sections 97, 221 and 86 of the applicable Penal Code, covering criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide and abetment.
All three defendants pleaded not guilty.
Defence counsel Mustafa Idris presented the defendants to testify and subsequently appealed to the court for leniency.
Judge Describes Killing as Inhumane
In her judgment, Justice Adamu condemned the circumstances surrounding Musa’s death and the subsequent treatment of his body.
She described the actions of the defendants as inhumane, particularly the poisoning, stabbing and burning of the victim’s remains.
The judge held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
She consequently sentenced Aliyu and Abdulsalam to death by hanging, while Sunusi received a seven-year prison term.
Convicts Given 90 Days to Appeal
The court informed the convicts that they had 90 days to challenge the judgment through the appellate process.
The ruling concludes the trial at the High Court level, although the defendants retain the right to pursue an appeal.
A death sentence imposed by a trial court does not mean that an execution has taken place.
The case arose from the September 2024 killing of Musa and the subsequent destruction of his remains in Kano.
