The police command in Kano has arrested a teacher Abdulmalik Mohammed, 30, and Hashim Isyaku, 37, for kidnapping and murdering a five-year-old girl.

The command’s spokesman Abdullahi Haruna-Kiyawa disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Kano.

“On December 4, 2021, at about 20:30 hours, a report was received from a resident of Dakata Quarters, Nassarawa, Kano state, that Hanifa Abubakar, 5, was kidnapped, and a ransom of N6 million was demanded,” said the statement.

Mr Haruna-Kiyawa said the CP Sama’ila Shu’aibu-Dikko, met with heads of security agencies in the state, re-strategised, and raised a team of Operation Puff Adder led by SP Shehu Dahiru to arrest the culprits.

“Sustained efforts and prolonged follow up led to the arrest of Abdulmalik Mohammed-Tanko, 30, and Hashim Isyaku, 37, all of Tudun Murtala quarters, by a detective team of the State Security Service (SSS),” it explained.

It added, “During investigation, Mohammed-Tanko confessed that the victim, Hanifa was his student at a private school in Kwanar Dakata, Nassarawa, Kano state. He kidnapped her and took her to his house, where he contacted her relatives and demanded a ransom of N6 million.”

The police noted that on December 18, 2021, “having realised that the victim recognised him,” he claimed to have poisoned her.

“He conspired with Hashim Isyaku and buried her in a grave located at the private school premises at Kwanar ‘Yan Gana, Tudun Murtala,” the police added.

He further added that Mr Isyaku also confessed that, in November 2021, the principal suspect and Fatima Musa, 27, met and ordered him to kidnap the girl.

“They arranged for the kidnapping but later rescinded the action. Fatima was also arrested in connection with the offence,” said the police.

The police also revealed that the suspects led a combined team of SSS operatives, police medical team and Operation Puff Adder to the grave.

“The body was exhumed and taken to Mohammed Abdullahi Wase Specialists Hospital, Kano, where it was examined and later released to the relatives for burial according to Islamic rites,” the police statement said.

(NAN)