Suspected notorious kidnapper, Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume, has been arrested by the police, and this is official.
Wadume is the kidnapper whose initial arrest by the police in Taraba State led to the brutal murder of three policemen by some soldiers.
Two civilians were also killed while five other persons were injured by the soldiers.
The arrest was announced by the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba, in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday.
Wadume was said to have been arrested Monday night at his hideout at Layin Mai Allo Hotoro area of Kano State, after painstaking efforts by the police.
The arrest has attracted the commendation of the Inspector General of Police, Muhammad Adamu, who expressed the belief that the success would “help in bringing answers to the numerous but hitherto unanswered questions touching on the incident and the larger criminal enterprise of the suspect.”
It would be recalled that some soldiers attacked and killed some policemen who had successfully arrested Wadume in Taraba State.
The Nigerian Army, giving excuse for the murder, claimed that the policemen refused to stop at three checking points, so, its men had to open fire on them.
The police had since pooh-poohed the claim of the Army, saying that the soldiers knew of the mission of the policemen but deliberately killed them for ulterior motives.
Findings have since confirmed complicity of some soldiers in the murder.
The statement by the police over the arrest of Wadume reads in full:
POLICE RE-ARREST NOTORIOUS KIDNAP KINGPIN ALHAJI HAMISU BALA WADUME
The operatives of the Nigeria Police have re-arrested the notorious kidnap kingpin, Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume.
He was re-arrested in the late hours of yesterday, 19th August, 2019 in his hideout at Layin Mai Allo Hotoro area of Kano State.
It would be recalled that 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.
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM,mni while commending the Police operatives for their perseverance and painstaking efforts, has expressed his profound gratitude to all Nigerians for their unparalleled show of love and empathy to the Force and the families of the officers and patriotic civilians who paid the supreme price in the service of their fatherland. It is his 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.
DCP FRANK MBA
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FORCE HEADQUARTERS
