Abdulmalik Tanko, the self-confessed killer of Hanifa Abubakar, a five-year-old girl who was killed in Kano State, Northern Nigeria, has made a u-turn on his earlier confession about her death, pleading not guilty to 5 count charges brought against him.
Gatekeepers News reports that Tanko, the proprietor of Noble Kids Comprehensive College – a school located in Kwanar ‘Yan Gana in Tudun Murtala Quarters in Nassarawa Local Government Area of Kano State, had earlier confessed to killing Hanifa with rat poison after he kidnapped her and took her to his house where he contacted her relatives and demanded a ransom of N6 million.
Tanko, 34, was arraigned before a Kano state high court, alongside 37-year-old Hashimu Isyaku and one Fatima Musa, aged 26, on a five-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy, attempt to kidnap, abetment, kidnapping and concealing a dead body.
However, on Monday, Tanko and Isyaku pleaded guilty to the first-count charge of criminal conspiracy and pleaded not guilty to the other four counts.
The third defendant pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Musa Abdullahi-Lawan, attorney-general of Kano and prosecutor, told the court that sometime in November 2021, the defendants conspired and kidnapped the five-year-old Hanifa while she was returning from school.
He alleged that Tanko kidnapped and held Hanifa hostage in his house for days and killed her with poison.
“In the process, the second defendant, Isyaku, buried her in a shallow grave in the premises of Northwest Preparatory School situated at Kwanar Yan Ghana, Tudun Murtala, Kano,” Abdullahi-Lawan said.
“On December 27, 2021, the third defendant, Musa, wrote a letter to the victim’s family, on behalf of Tanko, demanding the sum of N6 million as ransom.”
Abdullahi-Lawan also told the court that the prosecution will present four or more witnesses to prove their case on the next adjourned date.
According to the prosecutor, the offence contravened sections 97, 95 and 273,274(b) and 277 of the Penal Code Laws of Kano State 1991.
Mukhtar Labaran-Usman, defence counsel, made an application pursuant to Section 36(b) of the 1999 constitution, requesting all the necessary documents to enable him prepare for an accelerated hearing.
Usman Na’abba, the presiding judge, ordered the remand of the defendants in a correctional facility and adjourned the matter until March 2 and 3 for hearing.
