Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State has condemned in the strongest terms the gruesome killing of two young Kano indigenes—Barhama Suleiman and Jamilu Ahmad—in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
In a statement released by his spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the governor described the incident as “barbaric, senseless, and unacceptable.” According to initial reports, the victims were attacked around 11:00 p.m. on Monday by unidentified assailants and murdered in cold blood without provocation.
Governor Yusuf expressed deep sorrow over the loss, emphasizing that the slain youths were innocent citizens exercising their constitutional right to live and work in any part of Nigeria. “They were peace-loving individuals whose only ‘crime’ was being Nigerians in pursuit of honest livelihoods,” he said.
In response to the tragedy, the governor announced that he would personally lead a high-level delegation—including family members of the deceased—to attend the funeral prayers at the National Mosque in Abuja today, June 24, 2025.
The victims were sons of prominent Islamic scholar Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil, to whom the governor extended heartfelt condolences. He also offered sympathy to the bereaved families and the wider Kano community.
“This is a painful loss not just for the families, but for the entire Kano State and Nigeria as a whole. We will not rest until those responsible for this heinous crime are brought to justice,” Governor Yusuf vowed.
He called on citizens to remain calm and allow law enforcement to carry out a full investigation, while assuring the public that his administration is working closely with security agencies and the Benue State Government to apprehend the culprits.
Governor Yusuf reiterated that every Nigerian has the fundamental right to live and work peacefully in any part of the country. “Nigeria belongs to all of us. Violence and ethnic profiling have no place in a united nation,” he said.
The Kano State Government reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the lives and rights of all its citizens, regardless of where they reside, and urged the public to remain peaceful and law-abiding as investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding the killings.