Ted Odogwu
25 January 2022
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The Proprietor of Nobel Kids Academy and North West Preparatory School, Kwanar Dakata, Nasarawa Local Government Area, Kano State, Abdulmalik Tanko, who allegedly murdered a five-year-old pupil, Hanifa Abubakar, has been remanded in a custodial centre.
The defendant was remanded along with two other accomplices, Hashimu Isyaku and Fatima Musa.
The police arraigned the three accused persons before Chief Magistrate Mahmud Jibrin of Gidan Murtala, Kano Metropolis, on charges of kidnapping, criminal conspiracy, concealing of truth and culpable homicide, contrary to sections 97, 274, 277, 221 of the Penal Code.
The state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Musa Lawan, sought seven days for his counsel to properly prepare the case file.
He also applied for the remand of the three defendants in a custodial centre.
The magistrate granted the application and adjourned the matter till February 2, 2022, for hearing.
Tanko and his accomplices were arrested for allegedly killing Abubakar by poisoning her to death and collecting the sum of N100,000 ransom from her family.
Meanwhile, the state government on Monday revoked the licences of all private schools in the state, urging the operators to revalidate their certificates.
The state Commissioner for Education, Muhammad Kiru, made the disclosure on Monday at a press conference.
He said, “We are all aware of the ongoing case of Hanifa, who was gruesomely murdered by a suspect, identified as Abdulmalik Tanko, the Proprietor of Noble Kids Academy.
“In view of the sad incident, especially how she was murdered in the private school, the state government has decided to withdraw the certificates of all private schools for revalidation.”
He said the Ministry of Education would set criteria for the recertification.
The commissioner noted that a panel had been constituted comprising the Ministry of Justice, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other agencies to be part of the exercise.
Also, the state Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, on Monday, vowed not to delay in signing the death warrant of the defendants when convicted.
Ganduje made the promise during a condolence visit, alongside the Deputy Governor, Dr Nasiru Gawuna; Majority Leader, House of Assembly, Labaran Madari, and other top government functionaries, to the deceased’s family in Dakata/Kawaji.
He said, “We have confirmed from the court handling the process that justice would be done. No stone would be left unturned.
“Whoever that is found guilty of this heinous offence will also face death, without wasting any time. As a government, we have already started the process.
“Our constitution provides that when a death sentence is passed, it is the constitutional power of the governor to assent to the execution of the culprit. I assure you all that I will not waste even one second