24-year-old man sentenced to death by hanging for stabbing father to death, despite no one witnessing the attack

Gloria Adesanya 16:20 - 07 October 2026

Kogi State High Court in Lokoja sentenced 24-year-old Dahiru Yusuf Abbah to death by hanging over his father’s death.

A Kogi High Court has sentenced 24-year-old Dahiru Yusuf Abbah to death by hanging over his father’s death, despite no prosecution witness directly seeing the stabbing that led to the conviction.

Dahiru Yusuf Abbah, 24, was sentenced to death by hanging by a Kogi High Court.

The court found him guilty of culpable homicide over his father’s death following a stabbing incident.

His lawyers said they would appeal the conviction and sentence.

A Kogi State High Court has sentenced 24-year-old Dahiru Yusuf Abbah to death by hanging after finding him guilty of culpable homicide in the death of his father, Dahiru Yusuf.

Justice M.M. Gwatana delivered the judgment at the High Court in Lokoja, ruling that the prosecution had established Abbah’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt under Section 221 of the Kogi State Penal Code, 2019.

The case stemmed from an incident in the Sarkin-Noma area of Lokoja on October 5, 2024, involving Abbah and his father.

The prosecution, led by Barrister M. Abaji, told the court that Abbah stabbed his father, Dahiru Yusuf, in the chest and back during the attack.

Dahiru was taken to hospital for treatment but died from his injuries four days later, on October 9, 2024.

Abbah was subsequently arraigned in case number HCL/01C/2025 on two charges: culpable homicide and criminal conspiracy under Sections 221 and 97(1) of the Kogi State Penal Code, as amended.

24-year-old Dahiru Yusuf Abbah sentenced to death by hanging over his father’s death

During the trial, the prosecution called nine witnesses, including the deceased’s wife, Hajia Jumai Dahiru, and two of Abbah’s siblings, Nafisat Dahiru and Auwwal Dahiru.

The prosecution also presented nine exhibits, among them a knife, the deceased’s blood sample, Abbah’s blood-stained shirt, a digital forensic report and a CD analysis.

However, none of the nine prosecution witnesses testified that they had directly seen Abbah stab his father.

Justice Gwatana nevertheless found the circumstantial evidence strong enough to establish Abbah’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The judge considered the evidence presented by the prosecution, including the blood-stained clothing and testimonies from members of the deceased’s family.

The court also considered evidence presented by Abbah’s defence. An Islamic cleric who testified on his behalf gave evidence relating to inheritance, but the judge found that it did not establish a defence to the homicide charge.

Abbah had also identified three people who could potentially support his alibi — a tea seller known as Mai Shai, Aunty Ladidi and a man identified as Danladi. However, none of them appeared in court to give evidence.

While the court found Abbah guilty of culpable homicide, it dismissed the separate criminal conspiracy charge after ruling that the prosecution had not provided enough evidence to prove it.

Following the judgment, Abbah’s lawyers, Mohammed S. Inuwa and Mohammed S. Maihaja, said they would appeal the decision. They argued that the court had relied on evidence they considered inadmissible.

Abbah maintained his innocence and appealed for clemency. Yusuf Bala, head of the deceased’s family, welcomed the judgment, saying the family had no personal grudge against Abbah but wanted justice.

The conviction and death sentence can still be challenged on appeal.