Kano State Governor will sign death warrant of Hanifa’s killers- Commissioner

The Kano State Government has promised to accomplish all legal proceedings on the conviction of Abdulmalik Tanko and Hashimu Isiyaku, killers of Hanifa Abubakar, and the signing of their death warrant

The promise came following the death sentence judgment recently passed on the Killers of the five-year-old school girl, Abubakar.

The State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Musa Lawan stated this while addressing Journalists and reacting to public anxiety based on the fact that no Executive Governor has signed a similar death warrant in recent years.

The death of baby Hanifa, a pupil of Nobel Kids Academy and North West Preparatory School, Kano, drew both local and international attention as well as condemnation when it occurred in early February this year.

Justice Usman Na’aba of Kano State High court recently found the prime suspect Abdulmalik Tanko, who was the proprietor of Hanifa’s school, and his accomplice, Hashimu Isiyaku guilty of kidnapping and killing the five-year-old pupil and sentenced both to death by handing, alongside other sentences.

However, the third defendant, Fatima Musa was sentenced to two years imprisonment after being found guilty of criminal conspiracy and attempted kidnapping.

Criminal trials of the defendants bordered on kidnapping attempted kidnapping, concealment, abatement, and criminal conspiracy, concluded within the space of six months are generating fresh concern.

In the wake of the prosecution, the State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje vowed to assent to a possible death warrant as soon as the defendants are convicted, which the public is now on the lookout for.

The Kano state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawan allayed the public concern just as he reassured Governor Ganduje’s readiness to fulfill his promise.

According to him, though the Nigerian Correctional Service is responsible for the issuance of the certificate, he said “such provision would only be provided after the expiration of 90 days for appeal.

The Attorney General explained that despite the conviction, the two convicts had the right to seek an appeal against the lower court judgment.

He said; “The court has passed judgment and sentenced two of the accused to death by hanging and the Governor has promised to sign the death warrant, so we are waiting for the 90 days window period for appeal before we do the needful.

” The constitution allows and gives the convicts rights of appeal, about three months window period. Remember when this trial started we promised Nigeria the commitment to prosecute the case to the logical conclusion and as speedy as possible and by the will of God that happened.

“The trial judge concluded the case within six months. This is commendable. So if there is an appeal, we would remind the public that government is ready for the appeal at any given time. Not only that, we would make sure the trial and judgment are given the equal commitment and speedy completion. I can assure the public that we are matching the trial with all sense of responsibility and seriousness.”

Lawan added that” for the people raising questions on whether the Judgement would be executed or not, all I can say is the law. We would wait for the appeal. If they appeal fine we would equally swing to action if they did not, as soon as the waiting period expires, the Governor will do the needful.”

Mercy Chukwudiebere