Kogi Court Sentences 24-Year-Old to Death for Killing Father

Lokoja High Court sentences 24-year-old Dahiru Abbah to death by hanging for killing his father, Dahiru Yusuf, in Kogi State.

A High Court sitting in Lokoja has sentenced a 24-year-old man, Dahiru Abbah, to death by hanging for killing his father, Dahiru Yusuf, in Kogi State.

Justice M.M. Gwatana delivered the judgement on Monday, October 5, 2026, finding Abbah guilty of culpable homicide punishable with death under Section 221 of the Kogi State Penal Code, 2019.

The court held that the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant intentionally inflicted fatal injuries on his father leading to his death.

The incident occurred on October 5, 2024, in the Sarkin-Noma area of Lokoja. The victim was confirmed dead at a hospital on October 9, 2024, from injuries sustained in the attack.

Following the incident, the defendant was arrested and arraigned on a two-count charge of culpable homicide and criminal conspiracy under Sections 221 and 97(1) of the Kogi State Penal Code, 2019 (as amended) in case No. HCL/01C/2025.

Prosecuting counsel, Barrister M. Abaji, told the court in his written address that the defendant stabbed his father in the chest and back during the attack.

During trial, the prosecution called nine witnesses. They included the deceased’s wife, Hajia Jumai Dahiru, listed as PW1, and the defendant’s siblings, Nafisat Dahiru, PW2, and Auwwal Dahiru, PW3.

The prosecution also tendered nine exhibits. The exhibits included the defendant’s blood-stained shirt marked as Exhibit P12A, the deceased’s blood sample as Exhibit P12B, a knife as Exhibit P11, a digital forensic report as Exhibit P14 and a CD analysis as Exhibit P15C.

Justice Gwatana noted that none of the nine witnesses saw the defendant stabbing his father. He said an offence in a criminal trial could be established through direct evidence such as eyewitness account, a confessional statement or circumstantial evidence.

The judge said the prosecution was required under Sections 221 and 97(1) of the Penal Code to establish its case with credible evidence. He held that the prosecution did so through circumstantial evidence.

He said Exhibit P12, the defendant’s blood-stained clothes, together with the testimonies of PW1, PW2 and PW3, provided more than 80 per cent of the evidence required.

"The prosecution has successfully proved the case of culpable homicide against the defendant," Justice Gwatana ruled.

The court dismissed the charge of criminal conspiracy for lack of evidence.

The court also noted that the defendant did not call any witness in his defence except an Islamic cleric who testified on inheritance. The court dismissed the testimony as irrelevant.

"This is a case of culpable homicide, not an inheritance case," the court held.

Three persons mentioned by the defendant who could have established his alibi for the night of the incident — a tea seller, Mai Shai, Aunty Ladidi and Danladi — did not appear to testify.

Defence to appeal, family welcomes verdict

In his final ruling, Justice Gwatana sentenced the defendant to death by hanging.

Reacting to the judgement, defence counsel, Mohammed S. Inuwa and Mohammed S. Maihaja, commended the judgement but said their client would appeal.

They argued that the judge "relied on inadmissible evidence to arrive at the determination of guilt."

The head of the deceased’s family, Yusuf Bala, welcomed the judgement, saying justice had been done.

"We have nothing against the defendant, but we wanted justice to be done to serve as a deterrent to others," he said.