The Kano State government on Monday revoked the certificate of all private schools in the state, with educational institutions requiring revalidating their certification before continuing with operations.
This comes on the heels of the sad event that happened at Noble Kids Comprehensive College, a private school where Hanifa Abubakar, a five-year-old was kidnapped and eventually murdered by her proprietor.
Sanusi Kiru, the Commissioner for Education, announced the government’s decision to revoke all licences at a press conference in Kano on Monday.
He explained that the Ministry of Education in the state would set the criteria for their recertification.
Kiri stated that a panel had been constituted, comprising the Ministry of Justice, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, private school owners association, and other relevant stakeholders to look into the revalidation of all private schools in Kano.
“By this declaration today, all certificates issued to private schools in Kano State are hereby withdrawn,” he announced. “They will bring out criteria for the recertification of all private schools.”
Hanifa was abducted by her teacher who demanded ransom from her parents and later killed her in December last year.
The disturbing news of her death became a major discourse after the Police Public Relations Officer in Kano, Haruna Kiyawa, confirmed to reporters last Friday that Hanifa’s teacher, one Abdulmalik Tanko, was indicted in the murder.
He revealed that Abdulmalik confessed that he kidnapped the girl and took her to his house where he contacted her relatives and demanded a ransom of N6 million.
The said teacher later conspired with one Hashim Isyaku to kill the girl on December 18, 2021, having realised that the victim had recognised him.
Earlier on Monday, youths burned the school where the body of the five-year-old was buried in the north-western state.
