From Sani Ibrahim Paki, Salim U. Ibrahim (Kano) & Mohammed I. Yaba (Kaduna)
Malam Auwal, father of the prime suspect arrested over the killing of seven family members in the Dorayi Chiranchi area of Kano metropolis, has called on authorities to swiftly punish his son, Umar Auwal, without delay.
Umar, who is currently in police custody, is accused of murdering his aunt, Fatima Abubakar, and her six children in broad daylight on Saturday.
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The victims include Maimuna (17), Aisha (16), Bashir (13), Abubakar (10), Faruk (7) and Abdussalam (one-and-a-half years old).
Police confirmed that the suspect has confessed to the killings, as well as a recent attack in Tudun Yola, where two housewives were murdered and their home set ablaze.
Speaking in an interview with Freedom Radio, Malam Auwal distanced himself from his son, describing him as "useless to society" and insisting that he should be executed rather than kept in prison.
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"What he committed against my younger sister and her six children, my wife's younger sister and her co-wife, is condemnable. I distance myself from him," Auwal said.
He further alleged that Umar had killed his younger sister some years ago and plucked out her eyes.
"I don't even want them to waste time on prosecution. Umar and his likes are supposed to be eliminated. They are not supposed to be remanded and fed with taxpayers' money," he added.
The grieving father commended the police for their handling of the case, saying he had already "sacrificed" his son, and vowed that neither he nor his wife (Umar's mother) would attend any court proceedings during the trial.
Fatima Abubakar, 35, and her children were reportedly murdered by assailants, allegedly led by Umar, who broke into their residence at Dorayi Gidan Kwari, sparking outrage across Kano and beyond.
Meanwhile, Abdulkarim Kabiru-Maude, SAN, Kano State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, has taken over the prosecution of the alleged gruesome murder of Fatima and her six children.
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Briefing journalists on Monday in Kano, Kabiru-Maude said the decision to take over the prosecution of the case was on the directive of Gov. Abba Kabir-Yusuf.
He promised that the government would spare no effort in ensuring accountability, transparency and strict adherence to due process throughout the investigation and prosecution of the case.
Tinubu orders suspects' diligent prosecution
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has condemned the gruesome murder of Fatima Abubakar and her six children, describing the attack as barbaric.
Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesman, in a statement on Monday, said President Tinubu commended the police for the swift arrest of the principal suspects and ordered the investigation and diligent prosecution of the suspects.
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Meanwhile, a Kano-based Islamic cleric and Commander of the Hisbah Board, Sheikh Aminu Daurawa, has lamented the worsening state of insecurity, saying homes are no longer safe following the killing of a woman and her six children in Kano.
Reacting in an emotional video posted online, Daurawa said the murder of Fatima and her children left him devastated and unable to sleep.
He described the incident as horrifying, recounting how the victims were slaughtered in their home while the breadwinner was away.
According to him, the killing of a mother and all her children is unprecedented in cruelty and shows that insecurity has reached a frightening level. "Our homes and roads are no longer safe," he said.
The cleric blamed rising violence on poor upbringing and societal neglect, noting that the perpetrators are often locals, not outsiders.
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Lawyer faults call for speedy execution
A Kano-based legal practitioner, Mubarak Abubakar, has said calls for the immediate execution of a suspect over the killing of an entire family are unconstitutional and contrary to Nigeria's criminal justice system.
Speaking from a legal perspective, the lawyer said no individual could be executed unless found guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction and after exhausting all constitutional rights to appeal. "A person cannot be executed unless he has been tried, found guilty, and sentenced by a court of law," he said.
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He explained that even after conviction and sentencing by a trial court, the law grants the accused the right to appeal to the Court of Appeal and, subsequently, the Supreme Court. "The Constitution provides a stipulated period within which every convicted person can appeal. Until all these legal avenues are exhausted, execution cannot lawfully take place," Abubakar noted.
According to him, only after the Supreme Court has delivered a final verdict and no further legal options remain can an execution be carried out. "Without a court personally finding the accused guilty and all appeal processes concluded, there cannot be the kind of speedy execution being talked about," he added.
Abubakar stressed that while emotions may be high in cases involving gruesome crimes, the rule of law must prevail. "The Constitution guarantees every accused person the right to a fair hearing and access to all legal remedies available under the law," he said.
He cautioned against public demands that undermine due process, insisting that justice must follow laid-down legal procedures, regardless of the gravity of the offence.
