Hanifa Abubakar: Gov Yusuf vows uphold death sentence on killer teacher, Abdulmalik Tanko

Five months after school teacher Abdulmalik Tanko was sentenced to death for the murder of five-year-old Hanifa Abubakar in Kano, Governor Abba Yusuf has pledged to ensure the execution of the convict. The governor affirmed that the court’s sentence must be upheld.

Yusuf made this declaration during the 2024 International Children’s Day celebration in Kano. A Kano State High Court had sentenced Tanko and his accomplice, Hashimu Ishyaku, to death by hanging after finding them guilty of Hanifa’s murder.

The governor emphasized that executing the sentence would serve as a significant deterrent to anyone contemplating harm against children. He also announced plans to declare a ‘state of emergency on education’ in the state to ensure quality education for children.

“When we say state of emergency, we mean a holistic approach including free education, renovation of dilapidated schools, and improving infrastructure to ensure quality education,” Yusuf stated.

Additionally, the governor promised the imminent provision of free school meals and uniforms for children from primary one to three in the state.

Earlier, Hajiya Aisha Lawan, the State’s Commissioner for Women, Children, and Disabled, praised the governor’s initiatives, such as free education for primary and secondary students and a 50% reduction in tuition fees for tertiary students.

Hauwa Ibrahim, the Speaker of the Children’s Parliament in Kano State, urged the state government to implement the Child Rights Act for the betterment of children in the state.