Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday convicted and sentenced a notorious Taraba State-based kidnapper, Hamisu Bala, popularly called Wadume, to seven years imprisonment, for unlawfully dealing in prohibited firearms and for escaping from prison custody.
The court also convicted Aliyu Dadje, a police inspector, who was the station officer at the police headquarters at Ibi local government area of Taraba State, to three years’ imprisonment for tampering with the record to conceal a crime.
Beside Wadume and Dadje, others charged with them are Auwalu Bala (aka Omo Razor), Uba Bala (aka Uba Delu), Bashir Waziri (aka Baba Runs), Zubairu Abdullahi (aka Basho) and Rayyanu Abdul.
The judge also sentenced Delu, Abdullahi, and Abdul to seven years’ imprisonment, while she discharged and acquitted Omo Razor and Baba Runs, for want of evidence.
Recall that Wadume was first arrested in Ibi, Taraba State, by members of the Intelligence Response Team of the Inspector-General of Police (IRT-IGP) on August 6, 2019.
But on their way to Abuja from Ibi, some soldiers belonging to the 93 Battalion in Takum, Taraba State, led by Capt Tijjani Balarabe of the Nigerian Army, aided his escape from the custody of the police.
The Balarabe-led troops allegedly shot at the police personnel in the vehicle conveying Wadume to Abuja.
Three police officers and two civilians were killed while five others were wounded in the attack aimed at freeing Wadume from police custody.
The police later re-arrested Wadume in Kano.
The police in February 2020 charged Wadume along with Balarabe and 18 others with various offences including terrorism, kidnapping, murder, and unlawful possession of firearms.
