The police in Kano State have arrested the abductors and killers of five-year old Hanifa Abubakar, a pupil of Noble Kids Academy in Kwanar Dakata, Nassarawa local government area of Kano State.
The principal suspect, Abdulmalik Mohammed Tanko, 30, who turns out to be the victim’s teacher, had initially demanded N6 million ransom for her release.
But realising the minor recognised him, he poisoned her to death despite collecting N100,000, it was learnt.
Upon his arrest, Tanko, who confessed the crime, led a combined team of operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS), the police medical team and a team of police Operation Puff Adder to the shallow grave where he and his accomplice, Hashim Isyaku, buried the minor.
The deceased body was exhumed and taken to the Mohammed Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital for examination before it was released to the family for burial according to Islamic rites, police said.
A statement by the police spokesman, Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said: “On December 4, 2021 at about 2030hrs, we received a complaint from a resident of Dakata Quarters, Nassarawa local government area of Kano State, that one Hanifa Abubakar, aged 5 years, was kidnapped and a ransom of N6 million was demanded.
“On receipt of the report, the Commissioner of Police, Sama’ila Shu’aibu Dikko, met with heads of security agencies in the state, strategised for effective service delivery and raised a team of Operation Puff Adder led by SP Shehu Dahiru to rescue the abductee and arrest the culprits.
“Sustained efforts led to the arrest of one Abdulmalik Mohammed Tanko, aged 30 years, of Tudun Murtala Quarters, Nassarwa, Kano State and one Hashim Isyaku, aged 37 years, of the same address.
“The suspects will be charged to court upon completion of investigation.”
Father of the slain girl, Abubakar Abdussalam, who was in the crowd of onlookers at the Police Command where the suspects were paraded, demanded the full length of justice.
He appealed for “immediate prosecution” of the principal suspect (Tanko), screaming in tears.
“Kill this bastard now. Please do not spare him, please I beg you in the name of Allah,” he told police officers.
More facts emerged on how Hanifa was murdered with “rat poison bought for N100.”
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The suspected killer, a father of three who is said to be the proprietor of the school, said he abducted the girl because he was indebted to the owner of the building housing the school.
He told The NATION: “I demanded a ransom of N6 million but was paid N100,000 which I used in paying the salaries of my teachers.”
Following the development, Kano State government on Friday ordered the closure of the Noble Kids Academy, where the body of the slain child was buried.
Commissioner for Education, Muhammad Kiru, announced closure of the school in a statement after detectives discovered the corpse of the victim.
He expressed sadness over the incident, stating that apart from the closure of the school, the state government would commence investigation of unregistered private schools and teachers to check such criminal activities.
He appealed to parents whose children attend the affected school to stop them, pending when investigation would be completed.
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