Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A 39-year-old man, Jafar Abdullahi Dabawu, was brutally killed by unknown assailants at his residence in the Maitumbi area of Minna, Niger State, in the early hours of Thursday, May 21, 2026—just hours after he had returned from participating in the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Assembly primaries. The killing, which occurred opposite the Maitumbi Police Station, has sent shockwaves through the community and raised serious questions about the security of political aides and the escalating violence surrounding the party’s primary elections. Dabawu, who was an aide to the Deputy Governor of Niger State, Comrade Yakubu Garba, and also served as the President of the Minna Emirate Youth Association (MEYA), had been married for only four months when his life was cut short.
According to residents and police reports, the attack took place around 2:00 a.m. when masked individuals gained entry into Dabawu's apartment. A family source told SaharaReporters that Dabawu was at home with his newlywed wife and his teenage daughter from a previous marriage when they noticed that the entrance door to their living room had been left open. Dabawu went into the parlour to investigate but received no response. Moments later, he was stabbed in the upper chest by an assailant who had been hiding inside the apartment. The family said they only saw one person, who was dressed in a traditional flowing jalabiya and wore a face mask to conceal his identity. The victim sustained a deep stab wound to the chest and severe facial injuries.
Neighbours raised an alarm around 3:30 a.m., prompting police officers attached to the nearby Maitumbi station to respond swiftly. When they arrived, they found Dabawu lying in a pool of blood. He was rushed to the Minna General Hospital, where a doctor confirmed him dead. The Niger State Police Command’s spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident, stating that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspected assailants, who covered their faces with masks, gained access to the deceased’s residence and attacked him with dangerous weapons. “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,” Abiodun said.
The murder occurred on the same night that Dabawu returned from Kuta in the Shiroro Local Government Area, where he had gone to participate in a House of Assembly primary election. The APC in Niger State had conducted its primaries on May 20, 2026, in a process the party described as largely consensus-driven, with 80 per cent of positions emerging through consensus under the leadership of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago. However, the primary was not without controversy, as some groups alleged marginalization and exclusion. The circumstances surrounding Dabawu’s death have sparked speculation about a possible link to the primary election, although police have not confirmed any motive.
Deputy Governor Yakubu Garba, in a statement signed by his Press Secretary, Ummikhaltume Abdullahi Kuta, expressed deep shock and sorrow over the killing of his aide. Garba described the incident as “tragic and painful, noting that the loss of a loved one under such circumstances is heartbreaking and unfortunate.” He prayed for the repose of Dabawu’s soul and for strength for the bereaved family to bear the loss. He also called on relevant authorities to ensure that justice is served and urged residents to remain calm and law-abiding as investigations continue. The International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) Relief Fund Trust, Niger State Chapter, condemned the killing, describing it as “barbaric, senseless and a clear violation of the sanctity of human life.”
As of the time of this report, no arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing. The Niger State Police Command has assured the public that efforts are underway to identify and apprehend those responsible for the crime. The murder of a political aide so soon after his participation in a primary election, and in a residence located directly opposite a police station, has highlighted the persistent insecurity in the state and the dangers faced by political actors in Nigeria’s increasingly violent political landscape.
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