A Magistrate Court in Kano on Monday remanded Abdulmalik Tanko and two other suspects in the case of the kidnap and murder of five-year-old Hanifa Abubakar.
Tanko, who is the proprietor of Noble Kids School in Nasarawa Local Government Area of Kano State, is alleged to have conspired with Hashim Isyaku and Fatima Jibrin to commit the alleged crimes.
Tanko, 34, Isyaku, 37, and Jibrin, 26, all residents of Tudun Murtala in Nasarawa LGA were charged with criminal conspiracy, kidnap, confinement and culpable homicide contrary to section 97, 274, 277, 221 of the penal code.
Part of the charges read, “That Abdulmalik Tanko conspired with one Hashim Isyaku and Fatima Jibrin to kidnap, kill her with rat poison and buried her remains in a shallow grave located at one of his school at Tudun Murtala Kwanar Yan Ghana area; Northwest Preparatory school.
“The suspect later demanded ransom payment of 6 million Naira which resulted to his arrest by the Department of Security Service (DSS) and then later the grave was found by the combined team of the DSS and the police.”
The prosecution counsel, led by the state attorney-general Musa Lawan, told the court that they have filed application asking the court to remand the accused in prison custody.
Senior magistrate Muhammad Jibril granted the application and adjourned till February 2, 2022.
Lawan told reporters after court session that the police would prepare the charge sheet and charge the suspects to an upper court in the next four days.
He said the police brought the suspects to the magistrate court so they would have legal backing to hold them much longer.
The suspects were arrested last Thursday.
