Former ‘Kidnap Kingpin’ Wadume Receives Heroic Reception in Taraba

Hamisu Bala, also known as Wadume, a former “kidnap kingpin,” was warmly welcomed by a large crowd upon his return to his hometown in Ibbi, Taraba State. 

After being arrested by the Intelligence Response Team of the Inspector-General of Police in 2019, Wadume was released from Kuje Prison in Abuja on Friday, as confirmed by sources. 

Reports from prison sources indicated that he had completed his jail sentence, which ran concurrently. 

Upon his arrival in Ibbi, Wadume was greeted by thousands of people, including youths and women, as he was ferried through the river Benue. 

Residents of Ibbi, such as Musa Garba and Nuhu, expressed their excitement and joy at Wadume’s return to the town. 

Wadume visited the Chief of Ibbi chiefdom, Alhaji Salihu Danbawuro, at his palace to express his gratitude for the support he received during his trial. 

The chief and his subjects were pleased to have Wadume back in Ibbi, his hometown, after the controversial incident involving his arrest by police and subsequent release by soldiers.

A joint panel responsible for investigating the incident questioned the soldiers involved. According to reports, Balarabe, in his statement to the investigation panel, admitted to using a spoon to open the handcuffs. Balarabe mentioned that he had interviewed one of the injured police officers after an army sergeant, Ibrahim Muhammed, fired shots at the tires of a police vehicle.

Balarabe stated that the guard commander informed him that a suspect, who claimed to be a policeman from Abuja, was arrested by the locals and was found with a police ID card. Balarabe also mentioned that Lieutenant Yushau Saad brought the suspect from Gidan Waya with the ID card. Balarabe further explained that he and others were removing handcuffs from the suspect when he decided to join them using a spoon.

He then took the suspect, along with his two sisters, to his house while he went with Saad to retrieve rifles belonging to the IRT policemen. Upon returning, Balarabe discovered that the suspect had disappeared. However, Wadume was eventually traced to a house he had purchased in Kano and was rearrested.

Our correspondents visited the house and were informed that Wadume had moved there with some members of his family. One of the neighbors mentioned that Wadume was captured along with a young man suspected to be his brother.

Wadume, who had been sentenced to seven years in prison by a Federal High Court in Abuja, was found guilty of escaping from lawful custody and unlawfully dealing in prohibited firearms.

However, the prosecution was unable to prove the charges of kidnapping against him. The judge, Binta Nyako, convicted Wadume on counts 2 and 10 out of the 13 charges brought against him and six others by the Attorney-General of the Federation.

Additionally, four of Wadume’s co-defendants were also sentenced for tampering with evidence, aiding and abetting, and unlawful possession of firearms. Among the convicts was a police officer named Aliyu Dadje.

The court’s judgment was delivered by Nyako, resulting in the imprisonment of the convicted individuals. In 2022, there were reports of Wadume escaping during a suspected Boko Haram attack on Kuje Prison, but the prison authorities later clarified that he had not escaped. Wadume, known for his charitable activities in his hometown, had contested for a seat in the Taraba State House of Assembly under the Young Democratic Party (YDP) in 2019.

However, he later switched his allegiance to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).