The discovery of the decomposing body of five-year-old schoolgirl Hanifa Abubakar has triggered shock and outrage across Nigeria, where the hashtag #JusticeForHanifa is trending.
The owner of her school, Abdulmalik Mohammed Tanko, has been arrested and the establishment closed.
He allegedly kidnapped Hanifa in the northern Kano state in December to demand a ransom of $14,600 (£10,800).
Police say he later killed Hanifa after realising she had recognised him.
According to the authorities, Mr Tanko, 34, led officers to the school premises where he had buried the schoolgirl’s body in a shallow grave at the private school premises at Kwanar ‘Yan Gana, Tudun Murtala Quarters.
Her remains were then exhumed for medical examination and a proper burial by her family. Mr Tanko has not yet been charged.
Hanifa was allegedly abducted in early December outside an Islamic school that she also attended. Two other suspects have been arrested, police say.
Speaking in an emotional voice, the girl’s father Abubakar Abdussalam told the BBC the family was traumatised. Hanifa’s mother is currently in hospital after she collapsed and fainted, he said. He demanded justice from the authorities.
Kano state commissioner of education Sanusi Sai’du Kiru described the kidnapping as a betrayal of trust.
Nigeria is grappling with a wave of kidnappings for ransom, mostly by armed gangs who frequently target schools for mass abductions of students but the kidnapping of students by school officials is extremely rare.
Many sympathised with the family and called for justice.
Some others demanded death penalty for the suspects as contained in Kano anti-kidnapping Law.
Reacting, Salihu Tanko-Yakasai, a former media aide to Kano Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, said: “The Kano anti-kidnapping law states that anyone that kidnaps someone & the victim dies in the process death penalty is the punishment for the kidnapper!
“I call for the death penalty for the barbarians that kidnapped & killed this little angel #JusticeForHanifa.”
Mohammed Jammal popularly known as ‘White Nigerian’ tweeted: “This is too Painful. #JusticeForHanifa”
Adam Sharada lamented: “After kidnapping Hanifa for many weeks, She has been murdered! This is indeed a heavy slap to the face of Nigeria, and security sector. Verily, Hanifa has lost in doom and gloom😭 The challenge question is: Who killed Hanifa? #JusticeforHanifa”
Jacob Sule said: “Very devastating news about the death of this young girl who was allegedly kidnapped and later killed by her teacher in Kano state. This is such terrible news and I join my voice to demand for justice. No child deserves to be killed. #JusticeForHanifa”
Senator Shehu Sani, who represented the Kaduna Central, said: “The school is the only place you can trust your Children to a people you don’t know; When teachers started becoming kidnappers, nobody’s child is safe. You can’t read the mind of a man from his smiles. He fed Hanifa with Rat poison,he deserves to be fed with it.”
