Kano Government Shuts School Where Five-Year-Old Hanifa Was Buried

Kano government has shut the school where five-year-old Hanifa was buried.

Glamtush reports that the Kano State Government has ordered the immediate closure of a private school, Noble Kids Academy, in Nassarawa Local Government Area of the state where the remains of Hanifa Abubakar, a five-year-old pupil kidnapped and murdered by her teacher, was found buried.

The state Commissioner of Education, Muhammad Kiru, announced this in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Àliyu Yusuf.

He also announced the withdrawal of the licenses of the two schools named in the tragedy, pending the outcome of the police investigation.

The commissioner added that the state government has also constituted a ministerial committee to assist in ensuring justice on the matter.

While condoling with the family of little Hanifa on behalf of the state government, the commissioner called on parents and guardians to desist from enrolling their children in questionable schools.

He promised that the ministry would monitor the activities of private schools so as to prevent the reoccurrence of similar incidents.

Five-year-old Hanifa was abducted late last year and one of those involved in the operation was her teacher, Abdulmalik Mohammed Tanko.

The abductors demanded a ransom of N6million but went ahead to kill her after receiving the money.

“On investigation, Abdulmalik confessed that the victim, Hanifa was his student at a private school in Kwanar Dakata, Nassarawa LGA, Kano State. He kidnapped her and took her to his house where he contacted her relatives and demanded a ransom of Six Million Naira (N6,000,000),” the Public Relations Officer of the Kano Police Command, Haruna Kiyawa, said on Friday.

“On the 18/12/2021, having realised that the victim recognized him, he claimed to have poisoned her to death, conspired with one Hashim Isyaku and buried her in a shallow grave within the private school premises located at Kwanar ‘Yan Gana, Tudun Murtala Quarters, Nassarawa LGA, Kano State.”

Across social media, the hashtag #JusticeForHanifa began to trend late Thursday, with many sympathizing with the family and calling for justice to be served.