A Kano State High Court has sentenced Fadila Adamu, a housewife, to death by hanging after she was found guilty of killing an eight-year-old girl by drowning her in a well. The court ruled that the prosecution had proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Adamu had kidnapped and murdered the child in a brutal act that shocked the community.
The tragic incident, which occurred in July 2019, has drawn widespread attention, as it highlights both the horrors of child abduction and the severity of the crime. Adamu, who resided in Sabuwar Gandu Quarters, was arrested and convicted for the kidnapping and subsequent killing of the minor, whose identity was not revealed by the court.
The ruling was made by Justice Yusuf Muhammad-Ubale, who presided over the case. In his judgment, Justice Muhammad-Ubale stated that the evidence presented by the prosecution was compelling and unequivocal. As a result, he sentenced Fadila Adamu to death by hanging for her actions.
“I hereby sentence the defendant to death by hanging for kidnapping and throwing the victim into a well, which caused her death,” the judge declared in court. The death sentence was a clear indication of the gravity of the crime and the court’s commitment to seeking justice for the young victim.
According to the prosecution, the crime occurred on July 14, 2019, in Tudun Wada Quarters, Kano. Fadila Adamu, the defendant, had claimed that the victim was the daughter of her friend, who had traveled to Ghana. Adamu told her sister that she was responsible for looking after the child until the mother returned.
However, the events took a horrific turn on July 17, 2019, when, at around 6:30 p.m., Adamu took the young girl to a well located in Tukuntawa Quarters, Kano, and threw her into the deep water, resulting in the child’s tragic death. The crime went unnoticed initially, but suspicions began to grow, and the case was soon brought to the authorities’ attention.
The prosecution counsel, Lamido Abba-Sorondinki, presented a solid case, bringing forward seven witnesses who testified against the defendant. These included statements made by the defendant and a medical report that confirmed the cause of death as drowning. The prosecution also cited Sections 274(b) and 221(a) of the Penal Code, under which Adamu was convicted of culpable homicide.
Despite the strong evidence, Fadila Adamu denied any involvement in the crime. She claimed that she was innocent and had not committed the act. In her defense, Adamu’s counsel, Zulaihat Tata, called upon four witnesses, including the defendant herself, to testify on her behalf. However, the defense’s efforts were not sufficient to cast doubt on the prosecution’s case.
The defendant’s denial and her defense in court were ultimately dismissed by the judge, who found the testimonies and evidence against her irrefutable. The witnesses, medical reports, and the defendant’s own statements were enough to substantiate the claim that Adamu had indeed kidnapped and killed the young girl in cold blood.
The court’s verdict has sparked mixed reactions from the public. Many have expressed relief that justice was served, with many members of the community expressing their anger and disbelief over the brutal nature of the crime. Child abduction and murder cases are taken very seriously in Nigerian courts, and the swift conviction in this case has been seen as an important step in upholding justice.
“I am glad that the court took this seriously and has given the maximum punishment to the person who took the life of a young child,” said a local resident, Aminu Umar. “We hope this serves as a lesson that such acts of cruelty will not be tolerated in our society.”
Others have expressed sympathy for the defendant’s family, who are left to grapple with the consequences of her actions. The fact that Adamu was a housewife and a mother herself has only added to the complexity of the case, as people struggle to understand how someone could commit such a heinous act.
“This is a very sad situation,” said Fatimah Hassan, a community leader. “It is heart-wrenching to think that someone who was supposed to be caring for the child would end up causing her death. But the law must take its course, and justice for the victim must be served.”
The death sentence handed down to Fadila Adamu is a stark reminder of the seriousness with which the Nigerian legal system treats crimes involving the safety and well-being of children. The sentence reflects the societal consensus that child abuse and murder, especially in such a violent manner, cannot be condoned.
However, some have raised concerns about the broader issue of child safety in communities and the need for greater protection against such crimes. Child abduction and murder cases have been a persistent issue in Nigeria, and the public continues to call for stronger laws, better enforcement, and more awareness campaigns aimed at protecting vulnerable children.
While the court has handed down its ruling, Fadila Adamu still has the right to appeal the decision. The death sentence is not final until all legal avenues have been exhausted. The defense team has not yet indicated whether they will appeal the verdict, but given the gravity of the case, it is likely that further legal proceedings will follow.
For now, the focus remains on the tragic loss of the eight-year-old girl and the attempt to bring justice to her family. The community in Kano, as well as the wider Nigerian public, will continue to watch this case closely as it moves through the legal system.
