Police have arrested two suspects in connection with the killing of social media commentator Ibrahim Khalil Dan Shagamu, 54, who was found dead at his residence in Gaida, Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State.
Dan Shagamu was found in the early hours of Wednesday after family members said unidentified men broke into his house and slaughtered him.
His elder sister, Aisha Muhammad Lawal, told Daily Trust that her son received a call about the incident around 12:30 a.m. and went to the residence, where he met policemen already at the scene.
According to her, the victim was taken to hospital, where investigations were carried out before his corpse was handed over to the family around 2:30 a.m.
“Some yet-to-be-identified men broke into his house and slaughtered him. I wasn’t around to know what happened, so I asked my son to go there. When he got there, he already met policemen at the scene,” she said.
She added that the family did not know what transpired and was not suspecting anyone in particular, but said two people had been arrested from the area.
“I don’t know what actually transpired and how it happened. But I was told that two people have been arrested from the area. He has a wife and six children. We are calling on the government to help us ensure that justice is served,” she said.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, confirmed the arrest of two suspects and said investigation into the circumstances surrounding the killing was ongoing.
However, Kiyawa said preliminary findings did not link the killing to Dan Shagamu’s social media activities, describing the incident instead as “pure envy and hatred by neighbours.”
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The police position comes against the backdrop of an earlier appeal for protection by Dan Shagamu, who had alleged repeated harassment and death threats from people in his neighbourhood.
In a video posted on his social media page weeks before his death, the 54-year-old called on the Kano State Government, the Emir of Kano and the police to intervene.
“I need the support of the Kano governor, emir of Kano and the police. I have been receiving death threats from my neighbours,” he said.
He alleged that children in the neighbourhood had pelted him with stones, damaged his television and gathered around his house to insult him.
He said he reported the matter to the Gaida village head, who referred it to the Ja’en village head, but the situation remained unresolved.
Dan Shagamu also alleged that his neighbours were aware of the threats and had conspired against him. “They are after me, and they are our neighbours’ children. The neighbours are aware but have conspired. I am asking for help, please,” he said.
He also shared a video recording of children outside his residence, which he said captured them threatening to kill him.
Operating under the brand Dan Shagamu International, the deceased was known for making videos and commenting on political, religious and community issues, becoming a recognizable voice in Kano’s social media space.
He was particularly vocal in his criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and used his platform to promote opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, whom he described in one of his videos as the “incoming President.”
His commentaries also covered religious controversies in Kano, including issues involving Islamic clerics and other matters of public concern.
His earlier appeal for protection has assumed renewed significance following his death, although police authorities have said preliminary findings do not connect the killing to his social media activities. The family is calling for justice as authorities continue investigating the killing.
Daily Trust
