Police in Kano State have confirmed the arrest of 11 students of Government Boarding Secondary School, Bichi, following the brutal killing of two of their fellow students.
The incident, which has shocked the community, is under investigation by the Kano State Police Command.
The two deceased students, identified as Hamza Idris Tofawa and Umar Yusuf Dungurawa, were allegedly attacked by their peers using locally fabricated metal objects referred to as “Gwale-Gwale.”
Confirming the arrests, the spokesperson of the Kano State Police Command, Abdullahi Kiyawa, said on Thursday that the students are currently being interrogated to determine their roles in the killings.
“Eleven students were arrested over the incident, and the investigation is ongoing to find out the level of their individual involvement,” Haruna said.
He assured the public that the command is committed to ensuring justice for the victims and their families.
“We are treating this matter with utmost seriousness. The culprits will be brought to book once investigations are complete,” he added.
The incident occurred around 11.30pm on Monday, when a group of students violently attacked four of their colleagues over suspicions of homos3xual activity.
Two of the victims were reportedly beaten to d3ath on the spot, while the others sustained serious injuries and were rushed to Bichi General Hospital for treatment.
“One of the teachers informed us that a crisis broke out in the school, initially described as a fight between students. It later became clear that the victims were accused of homosexuality, and the attackers beat them severely. Two of the students died on the spot, while another was rushed to the hospital,” a source told Daily Trust.
Another source later clarified that two students were injured and are currently receiving treatment at Bichi General Hospital.
In reaction to the incident, the Kano State Commissioner for Education, Ali Makoda, ordered a full investigation into the tragic deaths.
The directive was conveyed through the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Bashir Mohammad, during a condolence visit to the school on Wednesday.
“The Ministry of Education is deeply saddened by this unfortunate event. We have launched an immediate investigation and will work closely with security agencies to prevent such occurrences in the future,” Mohammad said during the visit.
