Justice Usman Na’abba of the Kano State High Court Thursday sentenced the proprietor of Nobel Kids Academy and North West Preparatory School, Abdulmalik Tanko, to death for the murder of a five-year-old pupil, Hanifa Abubakar.

The Kano State government had in February arraigned Tanko and two others on a five-count charge of criminal conspiracy, attempt to kidnap, abetment, kidnapping and concealing of dead body.

The other defendants are 37-year-old Hashimu Isyaku and Fatima Musa, 26.

The convict on December 4, 2021, kidnapped and held the girl hostage in his house in the Tudun Murtala area of Kano for several days. 

He later poisoned her to death.

Tanko connived with Isyaku to  bury the girl in a shallow grave inside the school premises at Kwanar Yan Ghana, Tudun Murtala, Kano.

Justice Na’abba also sentenced the school owner to additional five years imprisonment on four of the other charges.

He sentenced Isyaku to death by hanging plus additional four years imprisonment for conspiracy and concealment.