Wadume: 4 Questions Nigerian Army Must Answer On Re-arrested Millionaire Kidnapper – Police

The Nigeria Police, on Tuesday, announced the re-arrest of alleged notorious kidnap kingpin, Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume, by their operatives.

Wadume, who had earlier been arrested in Taraba State by the police, however escaped after operatives of Police Intelligence Response Team came under attack from soldiers of the Battalion 93, Takum, in the state.

The alleged kidnapper escaped while being conveyed to Abuja after the soldiers killed the policemen, claiming to have mistaken them for kidnappers.

The slain officers were: Sgt. Usman Danzumi, Inspector Mark Ediole, and Sgt. Dahiru Musa.

The police and the army have had heated exchanges on the circumstance that led to the killing of the policemen by the soldiers.

The police, in a post on their verified Facebook page, asked the army authorities to provide Nigerians with answers to the following questions:  

1.      “How could a kidnap suspect properly restrained with handcuffs by the police escape from the hands of his military rescuers.

2.     “Why were the police operatives shot at close range even after they had identifed themselves as police officers on legitimate duty as evident in the video now in circulation?

3.    “How and why was Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wudame released by the soldier?

4.    “If Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wudame is a ‘victim of kidnap’ as claimed, and properly rescued by the soldiers, why was he not taken to the Army Base for documentation purposes and briefing in line with Standard Operating Procedures in the Nigerian Army?”

The Army had earlier in its statement said troops of 93 Battalion Nigerian Army Takum “pursued and exchanged fire with some suspected Kidnappers who indeed turned out to be an Intelligence Response Team from the Police Force Headquarters Abuja on a covert assignment from Abuja.”

“The flagrant refusal of the suspected kidnappers to stop at the three checkpoints prompted a hot pursuit of the fleeing suspects by the troops. It was in this process that the suspected kidnappers who were obviously armed opened fire at the troops sporadicaly thus prompting them to return fire,” said the army.