A Kano Upper Shari’a Court has sentenced a 38-year-old man, Shafi’u Abubakar, to death by hanging and 150 strokes of cane for setting a mosque ablaze in Gezawa Local Government Area, leading to the deaths of 23 worshippers.
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Presiding over the case, Judge Halhalatu Khuza’i-Zakariyya found Abubakar guilty of culpable homicide, attempted murder, causing grievous harm, and mischief by fire.
The convict, who is a resident of Gadan Larabar Abasawa, confessed to purchasing N7,000 worth of petrol from a filling station along Hadeja Road in Kano around 6 p.m. on May 14, 2024. He transferred the fuel into a jerrycan and, the following morning, used it to set fire to the mosque while worshippers were observing prayers. After committing the act, he turned himself in to the police.
The court relied heavily on the testimonies of two key witnesses: Pw4, Ibrahim Salisu, whose circumstantial evidence linked Abubakar to the crime, and Pw7, Abdullahi Sa’idu, a police officer who presented Abubakar’s confessional statement. The judge also pointed to burns found on Abubakar’s hand as further evidence of his involvement.
According to the prosecution, the victims were rushed to the hospital after the fire but later died due to the severity of their burns. Seven witnesses were presented during the trial, and photographs of the victims were tendered as evidence.
In addition to the death sentence, Abubakar was handed 100 strokes of cane for attempted murder and fined N1,500 for causing grievous harm. He also received 50 lashes for mischief by fire. The court ordered that his tricycle be confiscated and sold to fund repairs to the damaged mosque.
Although Abubakar pleaded guilty to all charges and his counsel sought leniency, the court upheld the full weight of the law. He has 30 days to appeal the judgment.
