Police arrest Taraba kidnap kingpin, Wadume

Taraba kidnap kingpin, Hamisu Bala, popularly called Wadume, has been arrested by men of the Nigeria Police Force.

Wadume was sighted at the Police headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, August 20, 2019.

According to Police spokesperson, Frank Mba, Wadume was re-arrested in the late hours of Monday, August 19, 2019, in his hideout at Layin Mai Allo Hotoro area of Kano State.

He was then taken into custody after his mysterious escape which led to the killing of three policemen "by the army" in Taraba state.

Wadume was allegedly released on the orders of an Army captain in Taraba state.

The incident caused a friction between the Army and Police with citizens expressing concerns about the country's security architecture.

“The Police had been on the massive manhunt for the suspect, Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume since 6th August, 2019 following the unfortunate incident in Ibi, Taraba State which resulted in the brutal murder of three (3) Police Officers and two (2) civilians, and injury to five (5) others. The suspect, who was appropriately restrained at the time of the incident, was subsequently released by his “rescuers” after they had destroyed the restraining handcuffs,” Mba said.

“It is our belief that the re-arrest of the suspect, Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume, will no doubt, help in bringing answers to the numerous but hitherto unanswered questions touching on the incident and the larger criminal enterprise of the suspect.”

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Investigation into the killing of three policemen revealed that the army captain had exchanged 191 phone messages with Wadume.

It was also discovered that a senior police officer in the state also "had 200 phone calls with the wanted kidnap kingpin".

Meanwhile, a notorious trans-border arms dealer, Ojomo Adebowale Gbenga, has said that he sold six AK-47 rifles to Wadume.

Wadume, who bought the rifle at N800,000 each, claimed he needed the firearms to battle " terrorist" Fulani herdsmen in his area.