Grieving mother attacks teacher who kidnapped, killed 5-yr-old with rat poison

It took the combined efforts of a team of police personnel to pull Fatima Maina’s grip on the heartless school proprietor who had confessed to killing her five-year-old daughter, Hanifa.

Abdulmalik Tanko, the proprietor of Noble Kids Nursery and Primary School, Kawana, Kano, had narrated how he used a N100 rat poison to end the life of Hanifa Abubakar, one of his pupils, when he was paraded at the Kano Police Command headquarters on Friday.

The heart-rending drama ensued as both the parents of the deceased child and the suspects arrived the command headquarters.

The late Hanifa’s parents were the ones who first got there. Later, Tanko and the suspects were brought in by the police.

Immediately, Fatima sighted Tanko, she charged towards him, raining slaps and blows on him, as she demanded why he killed her daughter.

The police had to intervene and whisked away the prime suspect who was bound in both ankle and hand-cuffs.

Tanko was arrested on Wednesday, while he was trying to receive part of the ransom, according to Wasila Dahiru, an aunt of the little Hanifa.

Hanifa was found dead, with her body cut into pieces and buried at a school premises located at Tudunwada.

She was kidnapped while on her way from Islamiyya School in December 2021 and subsequently killed by her abductor.

She was said to have been whisked away in a commercial tricycle, locally called Adaidata Sahu or Keke NAPEP.

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The reports of her abduction had sent a wave of shock across Kano.

Her abductor later demanded N6 million ransom from her parents while not disclosing that she had died.

Commenting on the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, said after sustained efforts, a detective team combining the police and men of the Department of State Service (DSS), Kano, arrested Tanko, aged 30 years, and one Hashim Isyaku, aged 37 years old, both of Tudun Murtala Quarters, Nassarawa LGA.

He said during interrogation, Tanko confessed that the victim was his student at a private school in Kwanar Dakata, Nassarawa LGA.

He said he kidnapped Hanifa and took her to his house where he contacted her relatives and demanded a ransom of N6 million.

“On the 18/12/2021, having realised that, the victim recognised 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,” the police spokesman said.

He said Hashim also confessed that sometime in November, 2021, the principal suspect, met him and one Fatima Jibreel Musa, 27 years old, of Layin Falaki Tudun Murtala Quarters, Nassarawa LGA, and ordered them to kidnap Hanifa.

The suspects led a combined team of DSS Operatives and Kano State Police Command’s Medical Team to the scene.

The body was exhumed and taken to Mohammed Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital, Kano, where it was examined and subsequently released to the relatives for burial, according to Islamic Rites.

He added that case will be charged to court upon completion of investigation.