Bauchi man guns down wife after mistaken her for attacker

A 40-year-old man, Nuhu Usman, has unintentionally shot dead one of his two wives he mistook for an attacker.

The unfortunate incident happened at Dangarga Village in Burra District of Ningi Local Government Area of Bauchi State towards the end of last year.

However, the Police Public Relations Officer of Bauchi State Command, Ahmed Wakil, said the suspect had been arrested.

In a statement made available to the media on Friday, December 6, 2023, Wakil explained that the victim was rushed to the hospital where she was confirmed dead by a medical doctor.

How it all happened: According to the Police account, Usman, who had earlier had an altercation with his eldest son, loaded his local gun and kept it by his side while sleeping thinking his son would come to attack him in his room.

The deceased was sleeping beside the suspect and stepped out to use the restroom. Upon returning to the room, Usman thinking it was his son approaching the room to attack him took his gun and shot his wife in the stomach.

The police statement read: “Operatives attached to the command have arrested Nuhu Umar Usman, male (40) of Dangarfa Village via Kyata Burra District Bauchi State.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect slept in the same room with his wife (deceased) that night, the suspect had two wives and six children. That there was an altercation between the wives, to the extent that the eldest son held grudges against the father and threatened to harm him.

“Prior to that incident, the eldest son threatened the father and this made the suspect load his dane gun and keep it beside him throughout the night waiting for any intruder, possibly his eldest son.

“Investigation revealed that on the 28th December 2022 at about 2.00am while he was sleeping in the same room with his wife, Ladi Nuhu (37) of the same address she went out of the room to ease herself.

“On her way back to the room, the husband woke up and armed himself with the dane gun upon hearing a suspicious move close to his room and directly fired at her in the stomach. As a result, she sustained injury.

“The victim was rushed to the General Hospital Burra, but certified dead by a medical doctor.

“The state Commissioner of Police, CP Aminu Alhassan, directed that the suspect be charged to court on completion of the investigation."