Hanifa Abubakar (born April 5, 2016). Abdulmalik Tanko, the owner of Noble Kids Academy in Nasarawa Local Government Area within Kano State, abducted her and subsequently killed her. The case gripped the nation's attention due to the tender age of the victim and the circumstances surrounding her death.
Presiding Judge Usman Na'abba delivered the verdict on Thursday, July 28, 2022. Her teacher, Abdulmalik Tanko, was accused of abducting her in December 2021 and killing the five-year-old girl.
The court also found Hashimu Isyaku guilty of complicity in Hanifa's murder and of concealing the crime of her abduction, while having knowledge of the kidnapping. Furthermore, the court acquitted Fatima Jibril of the charge of writing the ransom note sent to Hanifa's parents. However, she was found guilty of being an accessory to the kidnapping, having known about it.
The court sentenced Abdulmalik to death by hanging for the kidnapping of Hanifa, along with five years in a correctional facility for the offense of abduction.
The court sentenced Fatima to two years in a correctional facility, taking into account her status as a mother. It also sentenced Hashimu to two years in a correctional facility, to be followed by execution.
Hanifa's killing drew global attention, with thousands of people, including Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, condemning it.