The notorious kidnap kingpin, Hamisu Bala, also known as Wadume, has been released by the Federal Government after completing his prison sentence.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Abubakar Umar, confirmed Wadume; ‘s release.
Following his arrest and arraignment on kidnapping charges, escape from lawful detention, and unlawfully dealing in firearms in July 2022, Wadume was sentenced to seven years in prison. However, his sentence was backdated to 2019, when he was initially arrested.
“He (Wadume) has served his full term and has been released from custody Saturday in Abuja, “Umar said.
Although no reason was given for his early release, he said, “his sentence commenced administratively in August 2019.
The Heroic Welcome He Was Given Upon His Release
Fintech Telex gathered that the convict was ferried into his hometown, Ibbi through river Benue, where he was received by thousands of people, including youths and women.
READ ALSO: X Risks Fines As Elon Musk Insists On Violating Court Order
Upon his arrival, he went to pay the chief of Ibi, Alhaji Garba Salihu a visit to his palace and he went on to thank the chief and the entire people of his chiefdom.
He said throughout his trial, the chief and his subjects stood firmly with him and prayed for his safety and good health while in prison.
The kidnap kingpin also went on to pledge that he will work with relevant stakeholders to fight against criminality.
While welcoming him, the chief said the palace had accepted him back and they were also ready to take him by his words, believing that he would not go back to his old lifestyle.
He added that he and his subjects were happy that he was out of prison.
“I and the entire people of Ibbi chiefdom are happy that Hamisu Wadume is now back in Ibbi his hometown.” the chief said.
How He Was Arrested By Police And Freed By Soldiers
Controversy trailed his arrest in 2019 after the IRT team of the IGP squad that arrested him were attacked by soldiers while on their way to Abuja. The soldiers attached to Battalion 93, Ibbi-Takum road, led by Tijjani Balarabe, were reported to have set Wadume free and subsequently killed some of the officers who arrested him, on August 6, 2019,.
Three policemen and two civilians were killed during the incident, while five other police officers were injured.
The soldiers were questioned by a joint panel charged with probing the incident.
In his statement to the joint investigation panel, Balarabe reportedly confessed to using a spoon to open the handcuffs.
“The guard commander of Gidan Waya told me that the locals arrested one of the suspects and he was with him at the checkpoint and he had a police ID card; the suspect said he was a policeman from Abuja,” Balarabe was quoted to have said.
He added that Lt Yushau Saad brought him from Gidan Waya with the ID card. He said he interviewed him and that was how he found that they were sent from Abuja to arrest Wadume.
According to him, they moved the injured policemen to the hospital and DCO Wukari (ASP Aondona Lorbee) confirmed that they were policemen.
“When I arrived at the camp, my soldiers ASP Iorbee and a civilian were removing handcuffs from the alhaji (Wadume). I entered my kitchen and picked a spoon to join them in removing the handcuffs,” he said.
The army captain further explained that he took Wadume and his two sisters to his house while he went to Ibbi town with Saad to retrieve some rifles belonging to the IRT policemen. He said on returning, Wadume had disappeared.
But two weeks after he was freed illegally, Wadume was traced to a house he bought in Kano and re-arrested.
Wadume’s Conviction
A Federal High Court in Abuja later sentenced him to seven years in jail. Wadume was convicted and jailed for escaping from lawful custody and unlawfully dealing in prohibited firearms. But the prosecution failed to prove the charges of kidnapping against him.
The judge, Binta Nyako, found Wadume guilty on counts 2 and 10 of the 13 charges preferred against him and six others by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).
She also jailed four of Wadume’s co-defendants charged in the case of tampering with evidence, aiding and abetting, and unlawful possession of firearms. The five convicts include a police officer, Aliyu Dadje, a police inspector
The convicts were jailed in the judgment of the court delivered by Nyako,
Kuje Jail Break
When suspected Boko Haram militants raided Kuje Prison in 2022, it was reported that Wadume had escaped, but the prison authorities later set the record straight.
Known for charity in his hometown, Wadume contested for a seat in the Taraba State House of Assembly under the platform of the Young Democratic Party (YDP) in 2019.
He later defected from the YDP to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
