A tragic armed robbery attack in the early hours of Monday has left one person dead in Danbare community, located in Kano State. The victim, identified as Shuaibu Muhammad, was reportedly killed around the time of the Muslim dawn (Subh) prayer.
According to DailyTrust, eyewitnesses and surviving residents said the assailants stormed a residential compound and launched a brutal attack while some occupants were preparing for morning prayers. The deceased, Shuaibu, lived with his friend, Haruna Nuhu Hussain, who narrowly escaped death.
“There were nine of us in the house that night, Four had already gone to the mosque, and five of us were still at home. I was asleep when they came in.” Hussaini recounted.
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Hussaini further stated that the attackers first approached an occupant near the compound’s well, pretending to ask for a prayer mat. As the resident turned to retrieve it, the assailants followed him inside and began their assault.
“I woke up to see one of them raising a cutlass to strike me,” Hussain recalled. “Someone quickly told them I wasn’t the one with the mat. By the time I got out, my friend Shuaibu had already been stabbed. He was lying there, dead.”
In addition to killing Shuaibu, the robbers reportedly injured another resident before attempting to flee the scene. However, in a dramatic turn, members of the community overpowered one of the suspects, believed to be the ringleader of the group.
The apprehended suspect was handed over to the Dorayi Divisional Police Station. Local residents said the man is a known criminal in the area.
“More than 10 people identified him immediately,” Hussain said. “He’s been arrested several times before but somehow keeps coming back.”
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Eyewitnesses also claimed the suspect had recently threatened shop owners in the area, demanding money at knifepoint — a method described as his signature style.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to get a response from the Kano State Police Command proved unsuccessful.
Residents of Danbare have since called for increased security patrols and a crackdown on the rising cases of robbery in the area. Many expressed fear and frustration over the ease with which suspected criminals continue to roam free despite repeated arrests.