The Kano State Police Command has made a major breakthrough in the investigation into the killing of a housewife and her six children, arresting a 23-year-old man identified as the woman’s nephew as the alleged mastermind of the crime.
The victims were found dead on January 17, 2026, in their home at Dorayi Chiranchi Quarters, a development that sent shockwaves across Kano and beyond.
Police authorities said the arrest followed a swift, intelligence-driven operation ordered by the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, enabling detectives to track down the suspects within 24 hours of the incident.
The principal suspect, Umar Auwalu, a resident of Sabuwar Gandu Quarters, was apprehended during a coordinated overnight raid conducted between late Saturday and early Sunday.
Two other suspects—Isyaku Yakubu (40), also known as Chebe, of Sagagi Quarters, and Yakubu Abdulaziz (21), popularly called Wawo, from Sabon Gida Sharada Quarters—were also arrested in connection with the case.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, preliminary investigations revealed that Auwalu was a close family member of the deceased, a factor investigators believe played a key role in gaining access to the household.
Kiyawa disclosed that the suspect made confessional statements implicating himself and the other suspects in the crime.
He further revealed that Auwalu is being investigated for alleged involvement in other violent offences, including a separate case involving two women in Tudun Yola Quarters.
During the operation, police recovered items believed to be linked to the crime, including clothing, mobile phones belonging to the victims, cash, and weapons suspected to have been used during the attack.
The Kano State Police Command praised its officers for the rapid response and credited members of the public for providing critical intelligence that aided the arrests.
Police assured residents that investigations are ongoing to uncover the full circumstances surrounding the killings and to identify any additional accomplices, reiterating their resolve to ensure that all those involved are prosecuted in accordance with the law.
Kano Police Arrest Nephew Over Brutal Murder of Mother, Six Children
