President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday evening expressed condolences to the family of Hanifa Abubakar, a five -year-old pupil, whose body was discovered in a shallow grave in Kano after almost two months of fruitless search.
The President praised the work of the police and the secret service in unraveling the mystery behind the disappearance of Hanifa, particularly arrest of her teacher and his other accomplices suspected of the child’s kidnap and murder.
Buhari’s reactions were contained in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu.
The President said the family and the whole nation which followed up on Hanifa’s travail every day since her disappearance last December were hoping for the girl to have been rescued alive and well.
He however said the very thorough and painstaking detective operation by the law enforcement bodies, leading to the discovery of the corpse and the arrest of the suspects who have already made confessions was commendable, calling it an achievement that should instill more public confidence in the authorities.
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“When breakthroughs like this happen, people will talk differently of law enforcement,” said the President.
Buhari prayed for the repose of the soul of the little school girl and urged her parents to bear the sad loss with courage and fortitude in God.
The President urged the Police and Ministry of Justice to uphold the integrity of the detective work that busted the case by preparing well and presenting a good case that will earn the respect of the court.
Earlier, Kano State Government ordered the immediate closure of the private school, Noble Kids Academy, at Kwanar Dakata, in Nassarawa Local Government Area, over Hanifa’s death
The body of the five-year-old girl was found buried in the school by the suspects.
Police said Hanifa was allegedly abducted in November 2021 at Kwanar Dakata in the metropolis by her teacher, Abdulmalik.
In a statement on Friday, the commissioner for education, Muhammad Kiru, said the closure of the school was necessitated by the corpse found there.
Kiru, who expressed sadness over the incident, said apart from the closure of the school, the state government would commence investigation of unregistered private schools and teachers to check such criminal activities.
He appealed to parents, whose children attend the school, to stop them from doing so pending the completion of investigation.
The police had said in a statement on Thursday that Hanifa’s abductors demanded N6 million ransom for her release before she was killed.