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Kaduna Mob Killing: Family Recounts Last Moments of Teacher Burnt Over False Child Theft Claim

Published

3 months ago

June 23, 2026

"DPO Gave Kaduna Mob My Wife to Kill" – Husband Alleges Police Complicity in Lynching

Victim's husband Aliyu Mohammed and Late Malama Ummulkhair Usman

Kaduna Mob Killing: Family Recounts Last Moments of Teacher Burnt Over False Child Theft Claim

The family of Malama Ummulkhair, an Islamiyya school teacher who was lynched and burnt by a mob on a false accusation of child stealing in Maraban Jos, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, has recounted her final moments in a heart-wrenching account that has sparked national outrage and a demand for justice. The deceased, a mother of four, was on her way to attend an Islamic lecture on Sunday afternoon when some residents accused her of attempting to steal children. The allegation quickly spread, drawing a large crowd that attacked her before security operatives intervened and took her into protective custody at a nearby police station. However, the situation later escalated as hundreds of angry youths and residents reportedly besieged the police station and demanded she be handed over to them. Despite efforts by security personnel to restore order, the mob eventually overpowered the officers and set her ablaze. The Kaduna State Police Command described the killing as “barbaric, criminal, and a direct assault on the rule of law.”

Witnesses said police officers fired warning shots to disperse the crowd. One youth was reportedly shot and several others sustained injuries during the unrest along Kaduna-Zaria highway. A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the incident as disturbing, saying, “It is troubling that an allegation alone could lead to such a tragedy. She was reportedly on her way to an Islamic lesson when she was accused. Even after she was taken to the police station, the mob still went there and burned her.” Another resident attributed the violence to growing fears over alleged child theft cases in the area. Our correspondent, who visited the community on Monday, reported that police vehicles were stationed in front of the police station, and soldiers were also sighted at the station keeping vigilance.

The Village Head of New Maraban Jos, Suleiman Isa, who participated in the effort to rescue the victim, said he received a distress call from Ummulkhair’s husband and rushed to the scene on his motorcycle. He explained, “I managed to enter the place where she was being held. We then called the police because a large crowd had gathered. When the police arrived, we were able to take her to the police station.” The village head said Ummulkhair begged him to get her water, but he could not do so during the ensuing chaos. He said all entreaties by him and the victim’s Islamic teacher to the crowd to allow the law take its course fell on deaf ears. “I later went back into the police station through the back door where she had been sitting, but she was no longer there. When I came outside again, I found that she had been killed,” he added. While acknowledging concerns over missing children in the area, Isa condemned mob action, stating, “There have been cases of missing children in our area. Even now, a friend’s children are still missing. That is why people reacted the way they did. However, taking the law into one’s own hands is wrong.”

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Chairman of the Council of Imams in Maraban Jos, Imam Umar Yusuf, whose motorcycle was also burnt during the attack, insisted that the deceased was innocent and that she had been his student for many years. According to the cleric, Ummulkhair left home intending to attend his preaching session at another school but did not know the exact location. “She asked some children for directions. The children became frightened and started shouting that she was a child kidnapper,” he said. The cleric dismissed claims that she had abducted any child, noting anyone who claimed they saw her carrying children in a sack was lying. “She had no child with her. If she had kidnapped children, where are the parents of those children?” he asked. “I also went there to tell them she was not a thief, but they took my motorcycle, placed it on her, and burned both of them. She left behind four children: two boys and two girls. This is pure injustice,” he added.

The victim’s husband, Aliyu Mohammed, said he was devastated by the loss of his wife, whom he described as peaceful and God-fearing. Mohammed said he was at work when he received a call alleging that his wife had been caught attempting to kidnap children, and by the time he arrived, they had already burnt her. He recalled that before she left home, she had told him she was going for her studies, and “I wished her safe return.” The grieving husband said with her death, he will now be left to take care of his children alone. “What pains me most now is that I am left alone with the children. Whenever I look at them, I cry. Last night, our youngest child, who is four years old, kept asking why her mother had not come home, and I could only try to comfort her,” he added.

Serious questions are now being raised regarding the conduct of the police during the attack. The victim’s sister-in-law, Zainab Aliyu, who was inside the station with Ummulkhair, alleged that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) led the victim out of the station despite her explicit warning. “When we got near the gate, I warned the DPO that the crowd would kill her if he took her outside. Another officer pushed me aside. As soon as they went outside, I followed them to the roadside and tried to pull her away because people had started beating her. Then a police officer dragged me back into the station and told me to leave because the crowd might kill me too,” she recounted.

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Amnesty International condemned the incident, describing it as a horrific act of mob violence, and called for a thorough investigation. “Amnesty International strongly condemns the horrific mob killing of Malama Ummulkhairi at Mararaban Jos community along Kaduna-Zaria highway,” the group said in a statement. The organisation urged authorities to investigate allegations that police officers handed the victim over to the mob, stating that witnesses told them that as a large crowd invaded the police station, officers on duty brought the victim out and handed her to the crowd that killed her and set her body ablaze. According to Amnesty International, the incident reflected a broader failure by authorities to protect lives, lamenting that mob violence is gradually becoming the norm, largely meted out based on suspicion, rumour or hearsay.

The Kaduna State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Rabi Salisu, visited the bereaved family and assured them that justice would be served. “We have confirmed that what they accused her of was false, but some bad elements did what they did. God willing, justice will be done,” she assured. Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Police Command has said more than 80 suspects have been arrested in connection with the killing. The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansur Hassan, told Daily Trust that arrests were ongoing. “From yesterday (Sunday) to today (Monday), we have arrested over 80 people. They are currently in our custody, and we are doing our best to ensure a thorough investigation. Anyone found culpable will be dealt with in accordance with the law. Investigation has already shown that the victim was wrongly accused,” he said. Hassan also explained that access to the police station became difficult after protesters blocked major roads leading to the division, making it difficult for reinforcement teams to reach the area. The Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State, CP Rabiu Muhammad, warned against jungle justice and mob violence, describing such acts as a threat to public order and justice.

A human rights activist and lawyer, Hamza N. Dantani, Esq., has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, demanding an independent investigation into the allegation that police officers handed the deceased to the mob. In the petition shared on social media, Dantani described the allegation as a possible violation of constitutional rights and police duties, stating that once a suspect is taken into police custody, the Nigeria Police Force assumes a legal duty of care and responsibility for the safety and protection of that individual. The lawyer called for the interrogation of all officers on duty, preservation of evidence and prosecution of anyone found culpable, insisting that “justice must not only be done but must manifestly be seen to be done.”

Kaduna Mob Killing: Family Recounts Last Moments of Teacher Burnt Over False Child Theft Claim

Related Topics:Child Theft False family Teacher’

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18 Suspected Bandits Killed as Security Forces Foil Mass Kidnap in Katsina

Published

7 hours ago

September 23, 2026

Trends Admin

18 Suspected Bandits Killed as Security Forces Foil Mass Kidnap in Katsina

Eighteen suspected bandits have been killed in an intelligence-led ambush that reportedly foiled a planned mass kidnapping in Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State.

The operation took place at about 1am on Monday, September 21, 2026, at Gidan Iyado, Kakumi Ward, after security personnel received intelligence that an armed group was planning to abduct residents for ransom.

According to the Katsina State Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, the operation involved hunters, members of the Community Watch Corps and local vigilante groups, who laid an ambush and engaged the suspected bandits.

The ministry said 18 members of the group were killed, while no casualty was recorded among the security personnel involved in the operation.

Recovered items included one G3 rifle, two AK-47 rifles, 14 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition and three motorcycles.

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Security personnel also recovered two cows and 94 sheep, which the authorities believe were among livestock allegedly rustled by the group.

The Katsina government identified the alleged leader of the group as Alhaji Musa Duki, whom it described as a former school headmaster who allegedly became a bandit leader operating from Mununu Forest in Faskari Local Government Area.

Authorities said the operation was part of continuing efforts to disrupt bandit networks, kidnapping operations and rural insecurity across Bakori, Faskari and neighbouring communities.

The government said a sustained covert operation was ongoing to locate Duki and other members of the network, identify their hideouts and prevent further attacks.

Katsina State Governor Dikko Umar Radda commended the security personnel and community-based security groups involved in the operation, while urging residents to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies.

The latest operation comes amid continuing security challenges in parts of Katsina State, where authorities have increasingly relied on intelligence gathering and collaboration between conventional security agencies and community-based security groups to disrupt criminal activity.

The recovered weapons and ammunition have been taken into custody as security agencies continue efforts to dismantle the alleged network and prevent further kidnapping and banditry in the affected areas.

18 Suspected Bandits Killed as Security Forces Foil Mass Kidnap in Katsina

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Police Arrest Two Arms Dealers, Recover 300 Rounds of Ammunition in Kaduna

Published

7 hours ago

September 23, 2026

Trends Admin

Police Arrest Two Arms Dealers, Recover 300 Rounds of Ammunition in Kaduna

The Kaduna State Police Command has arrested two suspected arms traffickers and recovered 300 rounds of live ammunition in an intelligence-led operation in the state.

The suspects, identified as Rayyanu Adamu and Nasiru Abubakar, were arrested by operatives of the Police Anti-Kidnapping Unit following surveillance around the Giwa and railway station axis.

Police said the operation resulted in the recovery of 270 rounds of AK-47 ammunition and 30 rounds of Type 06 ammunition.

The suspects are being interrogated as investigators work to determine where the ammunition was sourced, its intended destination and whether other people are involved in the alleged trafficking operation.

The arrests come amid increased security operations across Kaduna State against kidnapping, banditry, arms trafficking and terrorist logistics.

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In a separate operation, troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA arrested a suspected terrorist kingpin and two alleged members of his network in Kubau Local Government Area.

Troops also arrested a 50-year-old woman in Igabi Local Government Area who was allegedly transporting 300 rounds of ammunition. The military said preliminary investigations indicated that she had travelled from Zamfara to Lafia before allegedly receiving the ammunition for onward delivery to suspected terrorist elements in Birnin Gwari.

A suspected terrorist logistics supplier was also arrested in Birnin Gwari, with four communication devices recovered during the operation.

The separate operations point to continuing efforts by security agencies to disrupt the movement of arms and ammunition to criminal and terrorist groups operating in Kaduna and neighbouring areas.

The Kaduna Police Command has also recorded other ammunition seizures in recent operations, as security personnel intensify efforts to identify suspected arms suppliers, couriers and their associates.

The two suspects remain in police custody while investigations continue.

Police Arrest Two Arms Dealers, Recover 300 Rounds of Ammunition in Kaduna

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Niger Mosque Attack: Bago Says 63 Abducted, 14 Freed, Three Killed

Published

12 hours ago

September 23, 2026

Trends Admin

Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago

Niger Mosque Attack: Bago Says 63 Abducted, 14 Freed, Three Killed

Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has said 63 people were abducted during the August 21 attack on worshippers in the Dakera area of Borgu Local Government Area, with three victims killed and 14 others recovered.

Bago’s disclosure provides the first specific official breakdown of the victims following weeks of conflicting reports about the scale of the Niger State abduction.

The governor said 33 worshippers were abducted from a mosque, while the attackers seized another 30 people from a nearby market as they fled, bringing the total number to 63.

He made the disclosure when former Niger State governor and Senator representing Niger North, Abubakar Sani Bello, visited the Government House in Minna to sympathise with the state over recent deaths and security incidents.

Bago also rejected reports circulating on social media that about 500 people had been abducted, describing the figure as exaggerated.

“It was a social media hype. Thirty-three were kidnapped at the mosque, and on their way, they kidnapped an additional 30 in a market, making a total of 63,” the governor said.

He added that three of those abducted had been killed, while 14 had been recovered.

The governor’s account means that, of the 63 people he said were abducted, 17 have been accounted for through deaths or recovery, leaving 46 whose current status was not specified in his latest disclosure.

However, the official figure has not ended concerns over the scale of the wider Borgu mass abduction.

Residents of Dekara and neighbouring communities staged a protest in New Bussa on Monday, September 21, demanding the release of hundreds of people they said remained in captivity more than a month after the attacks.

According to Reuters, residents initially estimated that about 600 people had been abducted during coordinated attacks on several communities. The president of the Borgu Youths Development Association, Abdullahi Yahaya Sadauki, subsequently said community estimates had risen to nearly 700 people allegedly still in captivity.

Reuters said it could not independently verify the higher figure.

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The residents are calling for a formal headcount across the affected villages to establish the actual number of people missing, those who escaped and those who were taken into captivity.

The protest also reflected the wider impact of the security crisis in Borgu, with residents saying insecurity has restricted access to markets and healthcare. Shops were reportedly closed in the area as residents observed a shutdown to draw attention to the continued captivity of the victims.

The attack occurred on August 21 when armed men invaded communities in the Dekara district of Borgu, including Gidan-Zana and Kpenya.

Police had initially said armed men stormed Kpenya Mosque during Friday prayers after attacking Gidan-Zana and Kpenya communities. Police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun said at the time that authorities could not confirm the number of people abducted.

The initial police assessment indicated that no death had been confirmed at that stage, while a joint security team was deployed to the area for assessment and rescue operations.

Residents subsequently told Reuters that more than 60 worshippers had been abducted during what appeared to be coordinated attacks on several communities in Borgu. Reuters noted at the time that it could not independently verify the residents’ account.

The latest developments therefore present two different sets of figures that should not be treated as interchangeable.

Governor Bago’s official account puts the number abducted from the mosque and a nearby market at 63, comprising 33 worshippers and 30 other people. He says three were killed and 14 recovered.

The much higher figure of about 600, later described by community representatives as close to 700 people still in captivity, relates to the broader series of attacks across Dekara and neighbouring communities, rather than necessarily the specific mosque-and-market incident identified by Bago. The higher community estimate remains unverified.

The discrepancy has increased pressure on authorities to establish a comprehensive record of those affected by the attacks.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had previously ordered an immediate rescue operation following the August 21 attacks. More than a month later, however, residents say they are still waiting for the safe return of their relatives.

Niger State Commissioner for Information, Obed Nuhu Nana, told Reuters that security agencies had been mobilised and that the government was making efforts to rescue the victims.

Borgu’s location along Nigeria’s western border with the Republic of Benin has also heightened security concerns, particularly because the area covers remote communities where armed groups can operate across difficult terrain.

The continuing uncertainty over the number of victims has left families seeking answers about relatives who have not returned home. Community leaders say a physical headcount remains necessary to determine the true scale of the Borgu kidnapping.

For now, the latest official position is that 63 people were abducted in the mosque and market incidents, three were killed and 14 were recovered. The separate community claim that hundreds more remain in captivity has not been independently verified and requires further official investigation.

The conflicting figures underscore the need for authorities to reconcile community records with security agencies’ information and provide a verified account of the people abducted during the August attacks.