Kano Court Sentences Two Men to Death for Killing Childhood Friend Over Land Dispute

A Kano State High Court has sentenced two men, Aliyu Adamu and Mubarak Abdussalam, to death by hanging for the murder of Dahiru Musa, their associate and childhood friend, over a land ownership dispute.

The court also sentenced a third defendant, Sadik Sanusi, to seven years’ imprisonment for his involvement in the crime.

The judgment was delivered by Justice Fatima Adamu of Court 18, Miller Road, Kano, after the prosecution established the defendants’ involvement in the murder.

According to reports, Aliyu Adamu confessed to participating in the killing, allegedly motivated by his desire to take possession of the deceased’s landed property, for which he reportedly had the ownership documents.

The Kano State Government had charged the three defendants with criminal conspiracy, murder and concealing a crime.

During the proceedings, the court found Aliyu Adamu and Mubarak Abdussalam guilty of stabbing Dahiru Musa, popularly known as Baba Senior, to death.

The third defendant, Sadik Sanusi, was found to have assisted in conveying the suspects to the crime scene with his commercial tricycle, where the victim’s body was subsequently burnt in an attempt to conceal the crime.

The prosecution, led by Barrister Salisu Muhammad Tahir, presented evidence which the court held was sufficient to establish the charges against the defendants.

Justice Adamu consequently sentenced Aliyu Adamu and Mubarak Abdussalam to death by hanging, while Sadik Sanusi received a seven-year prison term for his role in the incident.

The case highlights the tragic consequences of disputes over land ownership, particularly when conflicts involving personal relationships escalate into violent crimes.