Tanko’s childhood friend: How Hanifa’s killer betrayed me years ago

Dahiru Sani, a childhood friend of Abdulmalik Tanko, proprietor of Noble Kids Academy, Kano, has narrated how the self-confessed killer betrayed him when they worked together at a private school at Tudunwada in Kano. Tanko caught headlines after he abducted and killed Abubakar Hanifa, a five-year-old pupil of his school. Hanifa: A peep into the […]

Dahiru Sani, a childhood friend of Abdulmalik Tanko, proprietor of Noble Kids Academy, Kano, has narrated how the self-confessed killer betrayed him when they worked together at a private school at Tudunwada in Kano.

Tanko caught headlines after he abducted and killed Abubakar Hanifa, a five-year-old pupil of his school.

• Hanifa: A peep into the life of Abdulmalik Tanko, proprietor-turned-killer
• Hanifa: Parents of self-confessed killer flee residence over fear of attack

In an interview with Daily Trust, Sani said he grew up in the same neighbourhood with Tanko.

Recalling how they worked together, he said, “He was the headmaster and I was the cashier of the school. The working relationship between us was cordial until when  he requested some money from the school that he wanted to open a business centre at the school of health technology around 2015/16.

“I lent him the money out of the school’s treasury and he promised to pay back within the shortest possible time. That development led him to conspiring with other teachers to send me out of the school before the time of repayment.

“At last, he was caught for financial misappropriation which led to his dismissal, and he went to open Northwest Preparatory School at Tudun Murtala.”

Also speaking, one of Tanko’s former students said, “He taught me from primary one to six. I am now an undergraduate. He’s really a nice person. Our houses are located in the same area, so we went to school and came back together most times.”

Tanko is currently in custody alongside his conspirators.