President Muhammadu Buhari has reacted to the death of a five-year-old pupil, Hanifa Abubakar, who was allegedly abducted and killed in Kano State.
KanyiDaily had reported how Hanifa was allegedly abducted and killed by her 30-year-old teacher, Abdulmalik Tanko along with one Hashim Isyaku, 37, after they demanded N6 million ransom.
While being paraded on Friday, Tanko said he contacted Isyaku, and one Fatima Musa, to kidnap the girl from her home but they failed to carry out the abduction.
The teacher said that he personally kidnapped and killed the 5-year-old pupil with N100 poison when he found out that she had recognized him, and they buried her corpse in a shallow grave located at the private school premises.
Buhari Condoles Hanifa Abubakar’s Family
In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity, Garba Shehu, the president expressed the nation’s condolences to the deceased’s family, urging her parents to bear the sad loss with courage and fortitude in God.
Buhari also said the country was hopeful the girl would be rescued alive, adding that the security operatives who worked on the case did a commendable job.
The statement reads, “President Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday, expressed the nation’s condolences to the family of the five-year-old school girl, Hanifa Abubakar, whose body was discovered in a shallow grave in Kano after nearly two months of fruitless search.
“The president, in the same breath, has praised the work of the police and the secret service in unraveling the mystery behind the disappearance of Hanifa, and particularly for the arrest of her teacher and his other accomplices suspected of the child’s kidnap and murder.
“President Buhari said the family and the whole nation which followed up on Hanifa’s travail every day since her disappearance in December last year were hoping for the girl to have been rescued alive and well, adding however that the very thorough and painstaking detective operation by the law enforcement bodies, leading to the discovery of the corpse and the arrest of the suspects who have already made confessions was commendable, calling it an achievement that should instill more public confidence in the authorities.”
According to the statement, Buhari said “when breakthroughs like this happen, people will talk differently of law enforcement”.
The president also prayed for the repose of Hanifa’s soul, and directed the security agencies and ministry of justice to ensure proper presentation of the case in court to sustain the integrity of the officers who uncovered the issue.
Meanwhile, Hanifa Abubakar’s father said he will never forget those who brought about the untimely death of his daughter because they were not fair to him.