The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, has condoled with the family and the Kano State Government over the killing of the five-year-old pupil, Hanifa Abubakar.
Abubakar was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by her teacher, Mr Abdulmalik Tanko, in a private school: Noble Kids School, located in Kwanar Dakata in Nasarawa, Local Government Area of Kano State.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by Ben Bem Goong, spokesperson for the ministry of education, the minister condemned the killing in all its ramifications and applauded steps taken by the Kano State Government to address the ugly incident.
The statement reads in part, “Education Minister Adamu Adamu says the Federal Ministry of Education condemns the killing of a pupil in Kano in all its ramifications and applauds the steps being taken by the Kano State Government to address the ugly incident.
“We are watching this national tragedy very closely and we are interested in seeing that justice is not only done, but explicitly seeing to be done. If a child cannot be safe in the hands of his/her teacher, where else can the child be safe.
‘’This is an assault on the entire teaching profession and must not be allowed to happen again. We sympathize with the parents of the innocent baby and pray that Allah condoles them in the best way possible, “ Adamu added.
Theideal recalls that Tanko allegedly kidnapped Hanifa in the northern Kano state in December to demand a ransom of $14,600 (£10,800).
According to the police, 34-year-old Tanko later killed Hanifa after realising she had recognized him.
Abubakar was buried in a shallow grave and her remains were discovered at private school premises in Kwanar ‘Yan Gana, Tudun Murtala Quarters, Nassarawa LGA, Kano, the police said in a statement on Thursday.
Family sources said that Tanko was among the first set of people who came to condole with the family after the abduction on December 4, 2021.
“He was full of tears when he visited the family to console them over the abduction,” said the uncle of the girl, Suraj Sulaiman.
