“She was a young, innocent girl, full of life. But as fate would have it, we lost her in a mysterious manner. I wonder what an innocent child like Fatima could have done to anyone to warrant this cruel act.” These were the sorrowful words of Malama Madina Inuwa Makwalla, the mother of the late Fatima Sulaiman, whose body was found hanging in her home.
The mother and other family members are mourning the tragic death of 13-year-old Fatima, a Junior Secondary School (JSS II) student at Sheikh Bashir Isyaka Rabiu Girls Secondary School, Goron Dutse. The quiet neighborhood of Dandinshe Yamma Quarters in the Dala Local Government Area of Kano State has been plunged into grief and shock by the mysterious circumstances surrounding her death.
Fatima, described by her parents as a patient, loving, and respectful girl, was found dead on Saturday evening in her family residence. The details of her death have raised troubling questions about safety, security, and justice in the ancient city.
According to family accounts, the Sulaiman household had planned to visit a family friend who had recently acquired a new house in Kano. As they prepared to leave, Fatima told her mother she would quickly return home to use the toilet and take a bath before rejoining them. She reportedly locked the gate after re-entering the house. Neighbors later testified that after freshening up, Fatima was seen standing outside the gate as dusk settled over the neighborhood. That was the last time she was seen alive.
When the family returned later that evening, Fatima’s elder sister, Rahila Sulaiman, was the first to try to enter the house. She found the gate locked from the inside and alerted her mother, Malama Madina Inuwa Makwalla. Together, they tried to open the gate with a spare key, but their efforts failed.
Moments later, Fatima’s father, Malam Sulaiman, returned from the market. He, too, was unable to unlock the gate. Growing anxious, he decided to scale the wall into the compound. What he saw inside will remain etched in his memory forever.
Inside the house, Malam Aminu found his young daughter hanging lifelessly by the window, her neck visibly broken. Shocked and devastated, he raised an alarm, drawing the attention of neighbours who rushed to the scene. “It was a terrible sight,” one neighbor recounted. “The circumstances did not look ordinary, and we immediately suspected foul play, but we couldn’t do anything.”
The family quickly notified the police, who arrived and evacuated Fatima’s body to Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital. At the hospital, medical personnel conducted examinations to determine if she had been sexually assaulted. Hospital sources confirmed to the family that Fatima was not raped but that her neck had been broken before she was hanged, deepening suspicions that her death was not self-inflicted. Her body was then released to the family for burial according to Islamic rites.
Speaking to Daily Trust, Fatima’s mother, who is also a secondary school principal in Kano, described her daughter as a patient, dutiful, and loving child who always respected her parents and lived peacefully with everyone. “I will always remember Fatima for her calmness, her kindness, and the way she loved us dearly,” she said in a sorrowful voice. “She was not only my daughter but also my companion and a trusted friend. This is a wound that may never heal.”
The spokesman for the Kano State Police Command, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, confirmed the incident and stated that investigations had already begun. “We received a distress call from the family and immediately deployed our men. The deceased was taken to the hospital where medical examinations were carried out. The command has opened a full-scale investigation to determine the actual cause of death and to ensure justice is served,” he assured.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves across Dandinshe Yamma Quarters, with residents struggling to come to terms with the loss. “Fatima was a cheerful and respectful girl. Everyone in the neighborhood loved her,” said Aminu Garba, a resident. “Her death has left us all devastated, and we want the truth to come out. That is why we implore the security agencies to do the needful.”
Community leaders and concerned citizens are now calling on security agencies to conduct a thorough, transparent, and speedy investigation. Many fear that failure to do so may embolden criminals and deepen public mistrust of law enforcement.
For the grieving family, the pain is personal and immeasurable. They pray for Allah to grant their daughter eternal rest in Aljannatul Firdaus and to expose those responsible for the tragedy. This type of incident is alien to the community, and a growing sense of fear and tension has gripped residents, who are demanding a serious investigation.
