Death Of Hanifa Abubakar: Buhari Mourns, Commends Detectives For Arrests Of Suspects

By Frank Oshanugor

Nigeria’s leader, Muhammadu Buhari on Friday expressed the nation’s condolences to the family of the five-year-old school girl, Hanifa Abubakar whose body was discovered in a shallow grave in Kano after nearly two months of fruitless search.

Buhari in the same breath has praised the work of the police and the secret service in unraveling the mystery behind the disappearance of Hanifa, and particularly for the arrest of her teacher and his other accomplices suspected of the child’s kidnap and murder.

In a statement on Friday, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity, Garba Shehu quoted Buhari as saying that the family and the whole nation which followed up on Hanifa’s travail every day since her disappearance in December last year were hoping for the girl to have been rescued alive and well.

The President added however, that the very thorough and painstaking detective operation by the law enforcement bodies, leading to the discovery of the corpse and the arrest of the suspects who have already made confessions was commendable, calling it an achievement that should instill more public confidence in the authorities.

“When breakthroughs like this happen, people will talk differently of law enforcement,” said the President.

President Buhari prayed for the repose of the soul of the little school girl and urged her parents to bear the sad loss with courage and fortitude in God.

He urged the Police and Ministry of Justice to uphold the integrity of the detective work that busted the case by preparing well

and presenting a good case that will earn the respect of the court.