The Ministry of Education in Kano has ordered an indefinite closure of a private school, Noble Kids Academy, Kano, where a teacher allegedly kidnapped and killed a five-year-old pupil.

“Following an alleged kidnap and subsequent murder of a five-year-old Miss Hanifa Abubakar, a pupil of Noble Kids Academy, Kwanar Dakata, by one of the school teachers, Kano state government has ordered an indefinite closure and withdrawal of the operational licence of the school,’’ the ministry said in a statement by its spokesperson Aliyu Yusuf.

Mr Yusuf said the Commissioner for Education, Sanusi Sa’id-Kiru, had expressed shock over the unfortunate incident, noting that the school’s closure was with immediate effect.

“The directives for the closure and licence withdrawal is with immediate effect, pending investigation of the case by the state police command,” Mr Sa’id-Kiru was quoted as saying.

According to the statement, the ministry had constituted a committee with the view to assist in investigating the matter for justice to prevail.

The ministry called on parents and guardians to desist from taking their wards to the school and its likes, assuring that it would continue to work with the committee in checkmating activities of private schools in the state to prevent future occurrence.

The police had arrested the suspected teacher, Abdulmalik Mohammed-Tanko, 30, and his accomplice, Hashim Isyaku, 37, over the alleged offence.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Haruna-Kiyawa, said the suspect had demanded N6 million ransom from the parents of the girl before he later poisoned and buried her.

(NAN)