Nigeria’s First Lady, Aisha Buhari, has joined several Nigerians calling for capital punishment for the killer of Hanifa Abubakar, the five-year-old Kano girl that was abducted and murdered by her teacher.

Mrs Buhari shared a short clip of a sermon by an Islamic scholar, Abdallah Gadon Kaya, demanding justice for the late Hanifa.

In the video, Mr Gadon Kaya called on the government and human rights groups to pick up the case of Hanifa and ensure that justice is served immediately.

He said the life of Hanifa’s alleged killer is not in any way better. “Therefore, he should be killed just the way he murdered the little girl. And this should be done openly for everyone to see. Let it serve as a deterrent to others,” the cleric said in Hausa.

Along with the video, Mrs Buhari posted a short commentary of her views on her verified Instagram page.

The president’s wife wrote in Hausa “Muna Goyon Bayan Hukunchin Malam”, meaning we are in support of your judgment/ we are fully behind your position.

Hanifa, a student of Kids Academy, a private school located in Kwanar Dakata in Nassarawa local government area of Kano, was abducted on December 2, 2021, by Abdulmalik Tanko, the proprietor of the school.

Mr Tanko has been arrested and the school closed by the state government.

After kidnapping her and collecting N100, 000 as part of the N6 million ransom he had demanded, Mr Tanko allegedly killed her with rat poison. He was said to have dismembered Hanifa’s body and buried the remains in the private school’s premises at Kwanar ‘Yan Gana, Tudun Murtala Quarters, in Nassarawa local government area of the state.

Last Thursday, Mr Tanko led police officers to the school premises and showed them where he buried the schoolgirl’s body in a shallow grave.

Her remains were then exhumed for medical examination and a proper burial by her family.

Mr Tanko has not yet been charged as of the time of filing this report.

Speaking in an emotional voice, the girl’s father, Abubakar Abdussalam, told journalists the family was traumatized. Hanifa’s mother was admitted to the hospital after she fainted, he said.

He demanded justice from the authorities. Nigeria is grappling with a spate of criminal incidents with kidnapping for ransom very common, mostly by armed bandits who sometimes target schools for mass abductions of students.

The death penalty, as demanded by Mrs. Buhari and the Islamic cleric, is still legal in Nigeria for some crimes such as murder. However, many rights groups, such as Amnesty International, have called for its abolition.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has appealed to the global community to fulfill the $100b pledged to African countries for mitigation of climate change activities

The Vice President who was making a special presentation at the virtual edition of the 2022 World Economic Forum featuring leaders from across the world, urged the international community to “meet its pledge recently re-affirmed at COP-26 of providing $100 billion annually in climate finance to support climate change efforts in developing countries.”

He explained that although Africans are working towards the globally accepted net-zero future, “we are also conscious that our energy needs are increasing with the growth in our economies”

He stated that we need partnerships that help to tackle climate change, address security concerns, promote economic prosperity, combat disease, and improve governance.

The Lagos State government is putting finishing touches to Timberville, Owu-Ikosi, Agbowa, in Ikorodu, where it plans to relocate sawmillers from the Okobaba waterfront in Ebute Meta area of the state.

Idris Salako, the commissioner for physical planning and urban development, accompanied by Ganiyu Ayuba, the special adviser on urban development, and Abiola Kosegbe, the permanent secretary, in the ministry, undertook the inspection of the new site to assess the level of work.

According to Salako, in a statement signed by Mukaila Sanusi, deputy director, public affairs, of the ministry, all neccessary facilities at Tamberville are being provided to facilitate a hitch-free wood processing and sales.

The commissioner noted that the facilities which include, link roads and internal roads, drainage, electricity, housing and display sheds were being put in place for the comfort of sawmillers and their customers.

He explained that the government had resolved the issue of connectivity by providing an alternative link road as supplement to the main road, thereby making it possible to approach the Timberville from Ikorodu-Itoikin road.

Some Nigerians on Twitter are making fun of President Muhammadu Buhari by blaming his video call to the national football team for the loss to Tunisia in the Afcon games.

Nigeria had won all their previous group matches, emerging as favourites in the tournament.

Tunisia won Sunday’s match 1-0, with their coach and several players out after contracting coronavirus.

Nigerians online expressed their disappointment albeit in a humorous way, and blamed president Buhari.