Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano
Amnesty International has strongly condemned the brutal killing of a Kano journalist and social media political commentator, Ibrahim Khalil Dan Shagamu, whose body was found in a pool of his own blood at his home in Gaida, Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State.
In a statement issued yesterday, Amnesty said Dan Shagamu was “brutally slaughtered after being overpowered by his killers.” The human rights group called on Nigerian authorities to immediately investigate the incident and ensure that those suspected of committing the crime are brought to justice.
Hajiya Rabi, a niece of the deceased, told THISDAY in an interview that “Dan Shagamu was killed last Monday, and his body was mutilated with several cuts, including to his eyes.”
She added: “It was a day after he was killed that the news broke, and they had to scale the wall into the house before his body could be retrieved.”
According to her, “Dan Shagamu was a fearless person who spoke the truth, and before his death, he had mentioned several times that some people were making death threats against him.”
His killing came amid rising concerns over political violence as the 2027 elections approach. “As the elections approach, we continue to receive disturbing reports of politically related threats to life and intimidation,” Amnesty International said in the statement.
The news of the murder threw Kano State’s media and political circles into mourning. Sharif Abdullahi Habib said the journalist was attacked in his home by unidentified persons.
“Today we woke up to a very distressing situation. Some heartless people broke into the house of Ibrahim Khalil Dan Shagamu and slaughtered him like a ram,” Habib said.
Dan Shagamu was a former staff member of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). After leaving the government service, he became a prominent voice on social media where he regularly commented on politics, security and economic issues.
As of press time, the Kano State Police Command had not stated the murder.