Panic grips Kano residents over murder of housewives

Recently residents in some parts of Kano state have experienced what could best be described as nightmare as two housewives were raped and brutally murdered in their matrimonial homes by yet-to-be identified persons. Residents and civil society organizations have continued to express concern over the spate of murder of housewives, a development which they described […]

Recently residents in some parts of Kano state have experienced what could best be described as nightmare as two housewives were raped and brutally murdered in their matrimonial homes by yet-to-be identified persons.
Residents and civil society organizations have continued to express concern over the spate of murder of housewives, a development which they described as strange in the history of the state.
Late Aisha Isa Fagge, 20, was only 12 days in her matrimonial home in Sharada Ja’en quarters in the state metropolis when she was brutally killed in August last year. She was found dead in her sitting room around 1pm when most residents in the area had gone for the congregational Juma’at prayer.
Also last month, another housewife and indeed pregnant, Aisha Aliyu was raped and subsequently killed in her matrimonial home in Bachirawa quarters, Ungogo local government area of the state. Late Aisha, 19, was slaughtered like a ram by her killers and was found dead in the pool of her blood by her husband Sani Abdullahi, who reported the case to police.
Kano Chronicle reports that for the murder of late Aisha Fagge, three suspects including her husband Nura Muhammad, were arrested by the police. The two other suspects are Abdulzahir Muhammad Saminu and Rabi’u Abdulkadir.
The suspects have also been arraigned before a Shari’ah court at Rijiyar-Lemo for two count charge of conspiracy and murder, offences contrary to sections 221 and 145 of the Kano State Shari’ah Law 2000. The presiding judge Alkali Atiku Bello adjourned the case till February 11, 2016 for continuation.
Similarly, a family source has confirmed the arrest of Alhaji Sani Abdullahi husband of late Aisha Aliyu in connection to her death and the police were investigating the case according to the force spokesman DSP Magaji Musa Majia.
Worried by the increasing cases of murder of housewives in the state, residents and civil societies expressed their concern over the spate of the tragedy. The Kano civil society forum has condemned this attitude and described it as inhumane and cowardly act.
The forum in a statement signed by its publicity secretary Salisu Muhammad Indabawa, said while it appreciates the effort by the security agencies in safeguarding the lives and properties of citizens in the state, it also urged them to provide additional strategies to checkmate criminal activities effectively.
The forum also appealed to police to expedite action towards speedy prosecution of the culprits, while in the same vein the community members should be very vigilant in monitoring any suspicious movement around its confined settlement.
“The perpetrators of such dastardly act should, with immediate effect, be brought to justice and the authorities should set up a panel of inquiry to deeply investigate the causes of this ugly act and made its findings public for precautionary measures.
“The security agencies should expedite action to strengthen neighborhood security monitoring and an effective distress call emergency line should be put in place to make citizens access the services of security agencies at any given time,” the forum said.
The statement added that the forum would not relent until justice was done to the issue without any compromise, noting that “this is the only avenue that will make citizens feel being protected by government”.
However, some residents who spoke to Kano Chronicle over the issue opined that certain preventive measures should be adopted by residents especially those residing at densely populated areas to protect their families.
Habibu Musa Kawo suggested that “newly married grooms should henceforth suspend inviting their friends to their homes most especially on weeding day. This tradition was an opportunity to some bad elements among the groom’s friends to know the house very well so that they could come back to the house when the groom was not around.
“So I am advising youth to suspend such tradition for now. They should also avoid the culture of inviting their neighbors to their houses especially when they got married and reside in new settlement. They should first and foremost know their neighbors very well before establishing any friendship with them”.
Abdullahi Isa Gandun-Albasa said Kano residents need to intensify prayers, saying “we need divine intervention as far as this issue is concerned. The thing is getting out of hand. A married woman and indeed pregnant one killed in her matrimonial home?” he asked rhetorically.
He said police and other security agencies need to sit up in the discharge of their duties, saying security agents should adopt new modalities to curtail the situation. Residents on the other hand should also help security officials with useful information about the unusual movements of person or group of persons in their respective areas.
Aminu Iliyasu Sulaiman said the issue of security was everybody’s responsibility, hence, the need for a collaborative approach towards addressing the situation at hand in the state.
He said: “Our traditional rulers, religious and political leaders have their roles to play in respect of security. Until everybody plays his role, we cannot achieve any progress in the fight against crimes in our society.”
Sanusi Bello Muhammad charged parents in the state to be vigilant on their children, as according to him unless government and parents address the problem of drug abuse among youths, it will be difficult to curtail the menace of murder of innocent women in the state.