A Kano State High Court has sentenced two men to death by hanging for the 2016 murder of Buhari Imam, a lecturer at Northwest University, Kano, during a robbery attack.
The convicts, identified as Aliyu Hussaini of Sheka Sabuwar Abuja Quarters and Amir Zakariyya of Unguwar Malam Quarters in Kumbotso Local Government Area, were found guilty on three charges — conspiracy, armed robbery, and culpable homicide.
Delivering judgment, Justice Fatima Adamu condemned the defendants’ actions as showing “total disregard for human life.” She sentenced each man to five years’ imprisonment for conspiracy, 10 years for robbery without the option of a fine, and death by hanging for culpable homicide.
“May God have mercy on them,” the judge added.
According to the prosecution counsel, Lamido Abba-Sorondinki, the incident occurred on June 11, 2016, at Sheka Sabuwar Abuja Quarters. At about 3:30 a.m., the defendants reportedly conspired, armed themselves with dangerous weapons — including long knives and machetes — and attacked the lecturer.
“They robbed the victim of his mobile phone and inflicted fatal injuries by stabbing him in the stomach, thigh, and back,” Abba-Sorondinki told the court.
The prosecution presented three witnesses and tendered medical reports and photographs of the deceased as evidence to support their case.
Both defendants, however, denied the charges, maintaining their innocence throughout the trial. Their counsel, Haruna Saleh-Zakariyya, called them to testify and appealed for leniency.
The offences were said to violate Sections 97(1), 298(c), and 221(a) of the Penal Code Laws of Kano State.
While the court handed down the death sentence, executions remain rare in Nigeria, largely due to legal delays, the requirement for gubernatorial approval, and public opposition to capital punishment. Many state governors hesitate to sign death warrants, leaving hundreds of inmates on death row for years.
