Police in Kano have exhumed the decomposing body of 5yr old Hanifa Abubakar, who was kidnapped on December 4, 2021 by her school teacher Abdulmalik Tanko.
Tanko was also the proprietor of a private school in Nassarawa local government area, Kano state, Noble Kids School, where Hanifa was a pupil.
According to the Police, Tanko and his team had planned kidnapping Hanifa, sometime in the month of November, 2021, but later cancelled the plan, but went ahead to kidnap her on December 4.
National Tabloid, learnt that the 5-year-old was abducted on December 4, 2021 at about 5pm by the kidnappers who came in a commercial tricycle when she and other neighborhood children were returning from the Islamic school (Noble Kids) and lured her to enter for a joyride.
After he succeeded in his evil plan, Tanko according Hanifa’s uncle, was among the first set of people who came to console her parents after the abduction on December 4, 2021.
Suraj Suleiman said; “He was full of tears when he visited the family to console them over the abduction.
“The kidnapper first took Hanifa to his wife, but the wife refused to keep her. He then took her to Tudunwada where he operates a private school, and then laced her tea with rat poison.
“After she was poisoned to death, the kidnappers then cut her body into pieces and buried it within the school.”
The suspects kidnapped Hanifa and demanded for N6m ransom, it was gathered that part of the money had been paid, but in the process, Tanko told police that Hanifa recognized him which made him to poison her to death with rat poison.
After killing the 5yr old girl they still went ahead to demanded for the complete payment of the ransom, but luck ran out on then when they went to collect the money and were nabbed by the Police.
A statement by the police on Thursday said the school teacher, Abdulmalik Tanko, was the one who abducted and killed her.
The statement reads; “Sometimes on the 04/12/2021 at about 2030hrs, a report was received from a resident of Dakata Quarters, Nassarawa LGA, Kano State that, one Hanifa Abubakar, ‘f’, aged 5 years old, was kidnapped and a ransom of Six Million Naira (N6,000,000.00) was demanded,” police said in a statement by the command spokesman, SP Abdullahi Kiyawa.
“On receipt of the report, the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Sama’ila Shu’aibu Dikko, fsi meets with heads of Security Agencies in the State, re-strategizes for effective service delivery and raised a team of Operation Puff Adder led by SP Shehu Dahiru to arrest the culprits.
“Sustained efforts and prolonged follow – up led to the arrest of one Abdulmalik Mohammed Tanko, ‘m’, aged 30 years old, of Tudun Murtala Quarters, Nassarawa LGA, Kano State and one Hashim Isyaku, ‘m’, aged 37 years old, of same address by a detective team of the Department of State Service (DSS) Kano State.
“On investigation, Abdulmalik confessed that, the victim, Hanifa is 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 (N6,000,000.00). On the 18/12/2021, having realized that, the victim recognized him, he claimed to have poisoned her to death, conspired with one Hashim Isyaku, ‘m’, took and buried her in a shallow grave located at the private school premises located at Kwanar ‘Yan Gana,Tudun Murtala Quarters, Nassarawa LGA, Kano State.
“Hashim also confessed that, sometimes in the month of November, 2021, the principal suspect, Abdulmalik met him and one Fatima Jibreel Musa, ‘f’, 27 years old, of Layin Falaki Tudun Murtala Quarters, Nassarawa LGA Kano State and ordered them to kidnap Hanifa. They plan but later rescinded their action. Fatima was also arrested.
“The suspects led a combine Team of Operatives of DSS Kano State, Kano State Police Command’s Medical Team and Team of Operation Puff Adder to the scene. The body was exhumed and rushed to Mohammed Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital Kano, examined, confirmed dead by a Medical Doctor and release to the relatives for burial according to Islamic Rites”.