Appeal Court Upholds Death Sentence for Killer of 5-Year-Old Hanifa

The Court of Appeal in Kano has upheld the death sentence previously handed down to Abdulmalik Tanko for the kidnapping and murder of five-year-old Hanifa Abubakar. Justice A.R. Muhammad delivered the judgement on Tuesday, dismissing Tanko’s appeal and affirming the decision of the Kano State High Court.

The appellate court ruled that the trial court correctly applied the law and properly evaluated the evidence.

According to Justice Muhammad, the appellant’s arguments lacked merit, and the evidence presented by the respondents was compelling and convincing. The judge stated there was no justification to overturn the lower court’s ruling and urged the government to enforce the sentence once all legal avenues of appeal are exhausted.

LEADERSHIP reports that Hanifa Abubakar was abducted in December 2021 by Abdulmalik Tanko, the proprietor of Noble Kids Academy in Nassarawa Local Government Area of Kano State. Tanko had demanded a ransom of N6 million from her family before allegedly poisoning her with rat poison, resulting in her death.

The case sparked national outrage due to the victim’s young age and the breach of trust, as Tanko was the owner of the school she attended.

Tanko was arraigned on January 24, 2022, alongside Isyaku Hashim and Fatima Jibril on charges including criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, unlawful confinement, and culpable homicide. On July 28, 2022, the Kano State High Court, presided over by Justice Usman Na’abba, sentenced Tanko and Hashim to death by hanging, while Fatima Jibril received a two-year prison term.