Following the night gruesome murder of a popular political commentator, Ibrahim Khalil Danshagamu, at his residence in Gaida Quarters in Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano state, the State Police Command says it has arrested two suspects in connection with the incident.
Kano State Police confirmed the arrest in a Wednesday statement issued by Command Public Relations Officer Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa on behalf of Police Commissioner Ibrahim Adamu Bakori.
According to police, the attack occurred around 11:30 pm on Monday.
Officers responded after receiving an urgent distress call from the Gaida Vigilante Group Commander, who reported that armed hoodlums had forced their way into the victim’s residence and assaulted him.
“Operatives of the Kumbotso Police Division promptly responded to the scene and rushed the victim to Murtala Mohammed Specialists Hospital, Kano, where he was confirmed dead on arrival by a medical doctor,” the statement said.
The development had earlier attracted condemnation from opposition politicians and rights advocates, who called for an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the commentator’s death.
Former Kano State governor and opposition politician, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, said in a post on X on Wednesday that Danshagamu’s body was found in a pool of blood at his home.
Kwankwaso described the killing as a “horrific attack” and urged the Kano State Government to constitute an investigative panel to probe the incident and bring those responsible to justice.
Amnesty International Nigeria also condemned the killing and called for a thorough investigation, stressing that outspoken individuals and critics should be protected in a democracy.
“In a democracy, outspoken persons or critics are accommodated, listened to, not killed,” the organisation said.
The Kano State Chairman of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Husaini Mai Riga, also described the killing as “deeply disturbing and unacceptable”, saying it posed a serious threat to press freedom, public safety and democratic values in the state.
The statement added that the arrest of the two suspects followed an intelligence-driven operation conducted by the Kumbotso Divisional Police Officer in collaboration with tactical units of the command and community stakeholders.
“The suspects are currently in custody undergoing interrogation. The Command has intensified efforts to apprehend any other persons who may be connected to the crime,” the statement said.
It added that statements were being obtained from relevant persons, while forensic procedures were ongoing to establish the circumstances and motive behind the attack.
The police commissioner expressed concern over the incident and sympathized with the family of the deceased, assuring residents that the command would pursue the case to a logical conclusion.
“The Kano State Police Command will not relent in its mandate to protect lives and property. We assure the good people of Kano that justice will be pursued to its logical conclusion,” Bakori stated.
The command commended the Gaida Vigilante Group for promptly alerting the police, saying the development demonstrated the importance of community policing and cooperation in preventing crime.
The police also urged residents to remain vigilant and provide credible information through the nearest police station or the command’s emergency lines.
“Investigation into the incident is ongoing, and the suspects will be charged to court upon its conclusion,” Kiyawa said.
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