Nigeria headteacher sentenced to death after pupil’s murder

A high court in the northern Nigerian city of Kano has sentenced a primary school owner and his friend to death by hanging for the kidnapping and subsequent killing of a five-year-old pupil.

Abdulmalik Tanko and his friend Hashimu Isiyaku were found guilty on Thursday.

A lady, rumored to be Mr. Tanko's ex-girlfriend, was given a two-year prison term for her involvement in the kidnapping.

Before the punishment was handed down, the defendants had entered a guilty plea and requested mercy.

In Nigeria, the death penalty is infrequently applied, and those found guilty typically serve life sentences.

The child was taken hostage by the two men in December 2021, and her body was found in January of this year.

Outrage over Hanifa Abubakar's kidnapping spread throughout Nigeria. Tanko had asked the victim's parents for a $14,600 (£12,000) ransom.

After being apprehended by the authorities, he directed investigators to the spot where they had buried the girl's body.

Nigeria has been dealing with a severe kidnapping epidemic recently. But armed organizations have typically been responsible for kidnapping students.

Since December 2020, around 1,500 pupils have been kidnapped by gangs. According to reports, the majority of the victims were freed after being paid a ransom.