Residents of Karofin Madaki quarters in Bauchi metropolis were thrown into shock and mourning following the killing of a renowned Islamiyyah teacher in the area, Rilwanu Dauda.

Dauda, 42, was allegedly killed on Sunday by two brothers suspected to be political thugs after a quarrel over political posters.

Daily Trust gathered that Dauda was stabbed in the stomach with a knife and died on the way to hospital.

According to the deceased’s elder brother, Hamza Dauda, “The younger of the two thugs hit Malam with a stick; while the elder hit him with a knife on the head. Malam immediately collapsed and people around intervened and forced all the thugs to leave the scene.

“However, the younger thug crossed the road, entered his family house and a few minutes later returned to our family house holding a knife. He met my late brother at the main gate and stabbed him in the stomach before running away.

“Some people saw him sneak away after stabbing Malam. It was only after he left that they realised my late brother was bleeding from the injury. He was rushed to the Bauchi State Specialist Hospital where he was confirmed dead. He died on the way to hospital.

“I was at my place of work when a friend of mine, Babangida, called me on phone and asked me to come to the hospital because my younger brother was dead. On arrival, I checked his body and saw where he was stabbed in the stomach.

“Malam was someone who never quarreled with others. Unfortunately, look at how he was brutally murdered for no reason.”

Hamza called on the government and the police to arrest the killers and bring them to justice.

“I want justice in this matter. Everybody knows Malam was not troublesome and he was killed unjustly. His family wants justice. The killers should be arrested and made to pay for their actions.”

When our reporter visited the deceased’s family house, sympathizers were still trooping in four days after his murder for condolences.

Residents, who spoke to Daily Trust, described the late cleric as humble, kind, humane and a gentleman.

One of them, Muhammad Aminu, described the incident as unfortunate, lamenting that “I wonder why people no longer value human life. People can kill over a slight provocation. This is unfortunate and something should be done to prevent its recurrence.

“Youths no longer value life. On any provocation, you hear that someone has been killed. When I heard about Malam’s case, I didn’t believe it until three different people told me, because Malam was not the kind of person you would expect to be involved in such a fight.

“Probably the guys who killed Malam had a grudge against him before this incident. After all, the fight had ended following the intervention of people around. So why did one of the thugs return to the scene and stab him? This tells you he had a grudge against the deceased.

“Late Malam Rilwanu was a kind and humane cleric who related well with people. He was religious and generous. You hardly saw him in this area except when he came to his family house. He was residing with his family along Ibrahim Bako Road.”

Another resident, Musa Yusuf, described the death of the cleric as a great loss not only to his immediate family, but to the entire people of Karofin Madaki and Bauchi State as a whole.

One of the deceased’s neighbour, Bello Ibrahim, said: “The thugs called a colleague who came to the scene and proceeded to paste the poster, resulting in a heated argument,” he said.

Bello said it was at that point that one of the thugs brought out a dagger, stabbed the late Ridwan in the chest and fled.

“Residents rushed out, picked him up, and took him to hospital, but he died on the way,” he said.

Another resident, Sani Musa, described Rilwanu as a nice gentleman and an Islamiyya teacher from a decent family background who was hardworking and dedicated to providing for his family.

Gov Bala visits deceased’s family

Bauchi State Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed visited the deceased’s family for condolences.

The governor pledged to take the responsibility of the education of the deceased’s children from primary school up to university.

He said that perpetrators of violent crimes anywhere in the state would have no hiding place, as the government intensifies efforts to safeguard the lives and property of innocent, law-abiding citizens.

The governor noted that his administration is committed to maintaining law and order across the state in order to safeguard the lives and property of innocent citizens.

He described the incident as a tragic loss and assured the bereaved family that justice would be pursued without fear or favour but through due process, and that anyone found culpable would face the full weight of the law.

He noted that while Bauchi State has continued to intensify efforts to combat banditry and other security threats affecting some rural communities, his administration is equally determined to address criminal activities within the state capital and other urban areas to guarantee the safety of all residents.

The governor called on citizens to remain law-abiding and avoid resorting to violence in resolving disputes.

He urged members of the public to cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information that would aid ongoing investigations and strengthen crime prevention efforts.

Responding on behalf of the family, Mallam Bala Dauda thanked the governor for the visit and for the support extended to them in their moment of grief.

In the same vein, the governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Bauchi State, Dr Yakubu Adamu, paid a condolence visit to the bereaved family, expressing sympathy over the loss and praying for Allah to grant him repose.

Police begin investigation

Confirming the incident, the Bauchi State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Nafi’u Habib, said police had commenced investigation.

“No stone will be left unturned in the course of our investigation until the killers of the cleric are arrested. We will not relent until we arrest them all,” he said.

Asked whether any arrests had been made, the police spokesperson said there had been none, but assured that “the culprits will surely be arrested and brought to book.”

He urged the public to always report crimes in their communities to appropriate authorities, saying, “The useful information people provide to police helps in minimizing crime in our society. Citizens should feel free to report crimes to the police.

“The fight against crime is everybody’s responsibility. People should always help us with such information so that we can act accordingly.”

Ex-CP blames drug abuse

Commenting on the rise in murder cases, a retired Police Commissioner Muhammad Wakil, attributed the incidents to lack of good moral upbringing, drug abuse, illiteracy, and hatred, among other vices.

CP Wakil, popularly known as Singham, said: “It is unfortunate that the majority of our youths are into drug abuse and their level of illiteracy is also a contributing factor.

“Most of our youths are school dropouts and they also lack Islamic knowledge. They don’t have a sound background. This kind of generation can engage in any crime you can think of. With little money you can persuade them to commit any crime.

“An empty brain is the devil’s workshop and can engage in all sorts of crimes. So, the main reasons behind the increase in murder cases, especially among youths, include drug abuse, lack of moral upbringing, peer group influence, broken homes, and lack of generosity among neighbors, among others.

“If we can adjust and correct ourselves, I can assure you things will change for the better. We should reflect on how our forefathers lived. Let us imbibe the culture of brotherhood. If we do, these vices will surely disappear within a short time.” (Daily Trust)

Update news