Kano: Youths burn school where 5-year-old Hanifa Abubakar’s body was buried

Angry youths on Monday burnt the school where the body of Hanifa Abubakar was buried in Kano State.

The youths, as learnt stormed the school premises very early and set it ablaze, purportedly in protest against the killing of the five-year-old.

The school, Noble Kids Comprehensive College, is situated in Kwanar Dakata community in Nassarawa Local Government Area of the state.

Hanifa was abducted by her teacher who demanded ransom from her parents and later killed her in December last year.

The disturbing news of her death became a major discourse after the Police Public Relations Officer in Kano, Haruna Kiyawa, confirmed to reporters last Friday that Hanifa’s teacher, one Abdulmalik Tanko, was indicted in the murder.

He revealed that Abdulmalik confessed that he kidnapped the girl and took her to his house where he contacted her relatives and demanded a ransom of N6 million.

The said teacher later conspired with one Hashim Isyaku to kill the girl on December 18, 2021, having realised that the victim had recognised him.

They buried Hanifa in a shallow grave within the school premises located at Kwanar ‘Yan Gana in Tudun Murtala Quarters.

Reacting, the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, outlined some of the measures taken by the government to ensure justice was served in the murder of Hanifa.

The governor listed them to include the indefinite closure and withdrawal of the operational license of the school where the girl was buried.

Ganduje noted that the government is terribly disturbed that people entrusted with the care of children only turn out to be their murderers.

He added that the government has been in touch with Hanifa’s family and would remain so until justice prevails in the case, to serve as a deterrent to others.

The killing also caught the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari who ordered the police and the Ministry of Justice to uphold the integrity of the detective work that busted the case by preparing well and presenting a good case that would earn the respect of the court.

President Buhari further expressed the nation’s condolences to the family of the schoolgirl, adding that Nigerians had hoped for her to return home alive and well.