Jafar Abdullahi Dabawu, an aide to the Deputy Governor of Niger State, Comrade Yakubu Garba, has been killed after suspected attackers invaded his residence in the Maitumbi area of Minna.
Dabawu, who was also the President of the Minna Emirate Youth Association (MEYA), was reportedly attacked in the early hours of Thursday at his residence opposite the Maitumbi Police Station, where he lived with his family. He had reportedly been married for only four months.
According to reporters, the assailants gained access to the house around 2:00 a.m. before carrying out the attack inside the apartment.
A source disclosed that Dabawu was at home with his newly married wife and his teenage daughter from a previous marriage when they discovered that the entrance door to the sitting room had been left open.
“Jafar was staying with his newly wedded wife and his teenage daughter from a previous marriage when they noticed that the entrance door to their living room had been left open around 2 a.m. He went into the parlour to ask who was there, but got no response.
“Moments later, he was stabbed in the upper part of his chest by an assailant suspected to have been hiding inside the apartment at the time,” the source said.
It was further gathered that the incident occurred on the same night Dabawu returned from Kuta in Shiroro Local Government Area, where he had participated in a primary election.
“The family said they only saw one person dressed in a jalabiya and wearing a face mask. Jafar sustained a facial injury and a stab wound to the chest,” the source added.
Sources also confirmed that the deceased served as an aide to the Deputy Governor and was actively involved in youth leadership as President of MEYA.
Confirming the incident, the Niger State Police Command said officers responded after distress calls from the Maitumbi area and found the victim lying in a pool of blood.
He was rushed to the General Hospital in Minna, where he was pronounced dead.
“On Thursday at about 3.30am, an alarm was heard shouting for help in Maitumbi area, opposite the police station, and policemen moved to the scene and met a victim who was later identified as Jafar Abdullahi Dabaru in a pool of blood.
“He was immediately taken to Minna general hospital by the police, where he was confirmed dead,” the police spokesperson, Wasiu Abiodun, stated.
He added that preliminary investigations revealed that masked hoodlums forcefully entered the deceased’s residence and attacked him, inflicting injuries on his chest and face.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that some miscreants wearing face masks trespassed to the deceased’s house, attacked and injured him on the chest and the face. The unfortunate incident is under investigation and effort to identify the suspects is ongoing,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor of Niger State, Yakubu Garba, in a statement signed by his Press Secretary, Ummikhaltume Abdullahi Kuta, condoled with the family of the deceased over the tragic incident.
Garba described the killing as painful and heartbreaking, praying for the repose of Dabawu’s soul and strength for the bereaved family to bear the loss.
He also urged security agencies to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice while calling on residents to remain calm and law-abiding as investigations continue.