From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
Residents of Kano were yesterday thrown into grief following the murder of a five- year-old girl, Hanifa Abubakar, who was killed by her abductor and buried in a shallow grave in the state capital.
The little girl was murdered despite the fact that her relatives had paid part of the N6 million ransom demanded by her captors. A grief-stricken uncle of hers, Suraj Sulieman, confirmed the tragedy and said the body of the girl had been retrieved from a shallow grave.
He lamented that the kidnappers had laced her tea with rat poison and, upon her death, had cut her body into parts before burying her remains in the premises of a private school located at Tudun-Murtala Quarters.
Kano State Police Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Abubakar Kiyawa, who confirmed the killing, said the police have arrested some suspects in connection with the murder.
He added that sustained efforts and prolonged follow- up had resulted in the arrest of Abdulmalik Mohammed Tanko and Hashim Isyaku, all of Tudun Wada Quarters, by the detectives of the Department of State Services (DSS).
He added that, upon interrogation, Abdumalik had confessed that the little girl was his student at Kwanar Dakata in Nassarawa Local Government Area of the state, adding that he took her to his house after the abduction only for the girl to recognize him, which prompted him to kill her.
He subsequently conspired with Hashim Isyaku to bury the body in a shallow grave on the premises of a private school at Tudun-Murtala Quarters.
He explained that the suspect had led the team of investigators to the scene of the burial where the body was exhumed, rushed to the Murtala Mohammed Hospital where it was confirmed death by doctors.
He said the case would be charged to court upon the completion of the investigation.