The late Kano social media commentator, Ibrahim Khalil Dan Shagamu, had raised an alarm over alleged death threats against him weeks before he was killed at his residence in Gaida, Kumbotso Local Government Area of the state.

Dan Shagamu, 54, had in a video posted on his social media page appealed to the Kano State Government, the Emir of Kano and the police to intervene.

He alleged repeated harassment and threats from his neighbours.

“I need the support of the Kano governor, emir of Kano and the police. I have been receiving death threats from my neighbours,” he said in the video.

He said the alleged harassment included children from the neighbourhood pelting him with stones, damaging his television and gathering around his house to insult him.

According to him, he had reported the matter to the Gaida village head, who subsequently referred it to the Ja’en village head, but the situation remained unresolved.

Dan Shagamu further alleged that his neighbours were aware of the threats and had conspired against him.

“They are after me, and they are our neighbours’ children. The neighbours are aware but have conspired. I am asking for help, please,” he said.

He also shared a video recording showing children outside his residence, which he said captured them threatening to kill him.

The alarm has assumed fresh significance following his death in the early hours of Wednesday, after family members said unidentified men broke into his residence and slaughtered him.

The police have since confirmed the arrest of two suspects in connection with the killing, while investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident continues.

However, the state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, said preliminary findings did not link the killing to Dan Shagamu’s social media activities, attributing it to what he described as “pure envy and hatred by neighbours.”

Dan Shagamu, who operated under the brand Dan Shagamu International, was known for making videos and commenting on political, religious and community issues.

His earlier appeal for protection has now drawn renewed attention as authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding his death.

Dan Shagamu’s death has brought renewed scrutiny to the warning he had publicly issued about his safety and the extent to which his concerns had received attention before the fatal attack.

The 54-year-old was not an obscure figure on social media.

Operating under the name Dan Shagamu International, he built a following through videos and commentaries on political, religious and community issues, making him a recognisable voice in Kano’s increasingly influential social media space.

His interventions cut across some of the most contentious issues in public life.

He was particularly vocal in his criticism of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and had used his platform to promote opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, whom he described in one of his videos as the “incoming President.”

His commentaries also extended to religious controversies in Kano, where he expressed strong views on issues involving Islamic clerics and other matters of public concern.

His decision to publicly seek protection over threats from people within his immediate neighbourhood assumed greater significance after his death.

His killing has now given those earlier allegations a new dimension. (Daily Trust)