The police command in Kano says the death toll from the mosque explosion in the state has risen to six.

The explosion occurred on Wednesday morning at Gadan village in Gezawa LGA of the state.

Abdullahi Kiyawa, police spokesperson in Kano, said the explosion occurred at about 5:20am during morning prayers.

Kiyawa said the injured victims were 20 male adults and four children, adding that preliminary forensic analysis revealed a petrol explosion.

He also said one Shafi’u Abubakar has been arrested as the prime suspect behind the explosion.

Soon after the explosion, Umar Sanda, an assistant inspector-general of police (AIG) in charge of zone 1, said one victim was confirmed dead at the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital.

Speaking on Thursday, Usaini Gumel, the state police spokesperson, said the death toll had risen.

Gumel said the suspect’s motive is linked to a family conflict. He added that investigation is ongoing.

Olubunmi Abodunde, the 48-year-old Nigerian man who murdered his wife, Taiwo, with a skateboard and blamed his loss of control on medication has been sentenced to life imprisonment in the United Kingdom.

The incident occurred in their Newmarket home, resulting in Taiwo’s death from catastrophic brain injuries in November 2023.

He, however, admitted to killing Taiwo, who suffered “catastrophic brain injuries”, the BBC reports.

The Ipswich Crown Court noted the intensity of the attack that led to her death at their Exning Road residence.

Abodunde faces a minimum of 17 years in prison before being considered for parole.

The court learned that the day before Taiwo’s death, there was a domestic incident resulting in Abodunde’s arrest.

He was under bail conditions prohibiting contact with his spouse.

The next morning, despite these conditions, Abodunde went to the family home to retrieve a mobile phone.

Taiwo, a mother of three, was returning home from her overnight shift as a health care assistant.

Prosecutor Stephen Spence KC told the court that Abodunde was aware of his wife’s shift pattern and CCTV showed she had arrived back at about 09:12.

The court was informed that two officers had attended the property at about 09:20 to speak with Mrs Abodunde about the previous day’s domestic incident.

Spence stated, “Only the defendant now knows what happened. The officers repeatedly knocked on the door and notified them of their presence but got no response or heard any calls for help.”

However, between 40 and 50 “thuds” were heard and it was believed to be Abodunde attacking his wife.

Officers were given clearance by senior police officials to enter the property at 09:45, the court was told.

Spe4nce added, “When they entered the front door, they immediately found the lifeless body of Mrs Abodunde with her skull smashed in.”

Meanwhile, a postmortem examination revealed that Taiwo had suffered “catastrophic brain injuries”.

Olubunmi-Abodunde and his-late wifeTaiwo

She also had injuries that were consistent with her body being “stamped on” as well as being hit with a skateboard.

This was found at the property covered in blood and fragments of skull.

The court was told the victim had also been strangled.

Meanwhile, the defendant could be heard sobbing from the dock as Spence addressed the court.

Police forced their way into the home after hearing bangs.

“It seems to me that he was waiting for confrontation. There is no debate that there was not going to be confrontation in my view,” he stated.

Akudolu said Abodunde “was a very well-respected man” both here in the UK and in Nigeria where the couple had previously moved from.

He had been a local councillor in Nigeria and had a local street in the country named after him.

The court heard the couple had a “history of frequent disputes over bills and money” with some “low-level violence” involved.

Akudolu told the court that “not a day will go by that [Abodunde] does not regret the misery” that he has caused.

In his ruling, Judge Levett described Taiwo’s killing as “ruthless, violent, savage and heartless”.

The couple’s home

Levett said Abodunde had lied to officers telling them his wife had attempted to attack him with a knife the day before he murdered her, adding that Abodunde also claimed she had tried to beat him, but no evidence was found to substantiate this, the court was told.

While Levett spoke, Abodunde could be seen from the dock with his head in his hands while sobbing.

The Judge added that there had been “no self-defence at all” on Abodunde’s part, saying he had heard “no remorse other than sobs from the dock”.

Following the murder, Suffolk Police referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct due to previous contact with the couple.

It said earlier this month, two officers were advised they were being investigated for gross misconduct over potential breaches of the standards of professional behaviour.

Another officer is under investigation for breaches amounting to misconduct.

An IOPC spokesman said, “This does not mean disciplinary proceedings will necessarily follow. Our investigation remains ongoing.” With BBC reports.

Edward Buba, director of defence media operations, says four soldiers were killed on Sunday in an ambush by terrorists in Zamfara.

In a statement on Tuesday, Buba said the troops encountered two separate ambushes by the terrorists at Kuran Mota village and along Alikere to Yarmalimai community in Zamfara.

Buba said three soldiers also sustained injuries during the ambush.

He said the troops succeeded in neutralising some of the terrorists, adding that they were supported by the air component during the operation.

“On 12 May 2024, troops of Operation HADARIN DAJI encountered 2 separate ambushes, namely at Kuran Mota Village as well as along Road Alikere – Yarmalimai village in Zamfara state,” the statement reads.

“Though troops fought fiercely to extricate themselves from the situation, Sadly, troops recorded casualties of 4 soldiers killed in action, while 3 were wounded in action in the first ambush.

“In the second ambush incident, 5 soldiers sustained minor injuries from gunshot wounds, and the soldiers have been stabilized as they were evacuated to FOB Faskari for medication care.

“During the ambush, troops received support from the air component, OP HADARIN DAJI, as well as reinforcement from FOB YARMALIMAI.

“The joint effort of both forces dealt a severe blow to the coalition of terrorists that gathered in numerical strength to execute both ambushes.

“Accordingly, several of the terrorists were neutralised as they suffered heavy casualties.

“Troops have unlocked the change in tactics of these terrorists and made necessary adjustments to maintain tactical superiority in the battlefield.”