Kano State Police Command has confirmed the killing of Ibrahim Khalil, the popular social media influencer and political commentator known as “Dan Shagamu,” and announced the arrest of two suspects in connection with his fatal stabbing. Police say the attack occurred on the night of Monday, September 8, when suspected hoodlums forced their way into Khalil’s residence in Gaida Quarters, Kumbotso Local Government Area, and assaulted him with sharp objects. He was rushed to Murtala Mohammed Specialists Hospital, where he was confirmed dead on arrival.
Police Public Relations Officer CSP Abdullahi Kiyawa said the Command received a distress report from the Gaida Vigilante Group and deployed operatives from the Kumbotso Police Division to the scene. The two suspects were arrested through an intelligence-driven operation involving tactical units and community stakeholders, and are currently being interrogated. Police say forensic procedures are underway to establish the motive behind the attack, and efforts continue to trace other suspects.
Kano State Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Adamu Bakori said the Command “will not relent in its mandate to protect lives and property,” pledging that justice would be pursued to its logical conclusion. Dan Shagamu was known across Kano for his outspoken commentary on political, religious and community issues, building a large following on Facebook and TikTok after previously working as a radio reporter. He had reportedly warned that extremists were plotting to kill him, though no protective action was taken.
Amnesty International condemned the killing, describing it as brutal and calling for a thorough investigation. The organisation urged Nigerian authorities to do more to prevent politically linked threats and intimidation ahead of the country’s upcoming elections, warning that critics and outspoken figures should be “listened to, not killed.”
Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf directed security agencies to identify and prosecute those responsible, calling the killing “shocking and unacceptable.” Through his spokesperson, Sunusi Bature, the governor extended condolences to Khalil’s family and urged residents to remain calm and avoid taking the law into their own hands, while assuring them of continued efforts to protect lives and property. Additional patrols and intelligence-gathering operations have since been deployed in Gaida and surrounding areas as investigations continue.
