Wadume: So many questions By Dodo Okafor
Notorious kidnapper, Hamisu Bala – aka WADUME, was re-arrested by the Police after, in his words, being helped by officials of the Nigerian Army to escape after his first arrest a fortnight ago.
Wadume was arrested by an elite police team led by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, who traced him to a hideout in Kano. They hauled him to the Force Headquarters in Abuja – this time with better security arrangements.
There’s little doubt that Wadume will have a whole lot to tell investigators – about the escape, his prior crimes and the gang of kidnappers he allegedly headed. It is interesting to note that already the kidnap kingpin has admitted he had help from the military men. He is heard in a video revealing the army cut off his manacles after the soldiers overpowered and killed the crack police officers in Ibi in Taraba state.
Wadume admitted the Divisional Crime Officer from Ibi assisted him; the very person paid drive criminals out of town. But it did not stop there. It would be interesting to find out about the notorious kidnapper’s links with the whole security establishment.
The link with the army seems to be a well-established. Afterall the soldiers were ready to kill three police officers and a civilian. Even more frighteningly, they put their jobs on the line to help him escape the long arm of the law.
The investigators would want to find out what Wadume knows about the kidnapping and terrorist cells in the North West region of Nigeria, his arms suppliers, and how deep his network runs.
There would be questions about who else was involved – beyond the security officials in Ibi.
Considering how popular Wadume was in his community and beyond – the investigators are bound to find out what relationship exists between the kidnapper and the community elders. Are they aware of the nature of his “business?” What help does he get from them? Do they offer him logistics assistance? How does he hide his victims? Who collects ransoms on his behalf?
Away from his community, the investigators would want to know about Wadume’s finances: Are there bankers who are involved in warehousing his illicit funds? How does he save money? How about cash withdrawals? How come nobody raised an eyebrow when a small-scale fish monger began to deposit funds in hundreds of millions? Did his bank report to the authorities at CBN and EFCC?
Perhaps we have to also look at his connection with the political authorities. Alhaji Wadume was the candidate of the YPP for a Taraba House of Assembly seat in the 2019 polls. How did a kidnapper become a candidate in a crucial election? What if Wadume had won? How much does the YPP leadership know him? Does the party hand its flag to anyone who shows up at its secretariat and asks to be given a ticket to participate in the election? No due diligence? No form of background research? No questions asked? Tragic for our political system.
Again, we return to the security agencies – especially the DSS. Isn’t the DSS supposed to vet the credentials of candidates who present themselves for an election? How did Wadume pass through their sieve undetected? With all the criminal activities happening in the country – one is hard-pressed to ask what did the DSS do? Restrict themselves to chasing political dissidents while real criminals carry on like kings? Perhaps it’s about time the role and engagement of the DSS are re-evaluated amidst rising national security challenges.
Now to the Police: What kind of organisation is the Nigerian Police? What is the moral character of the average policeman? What does it say of the police force in Nigeria that senior police officers in Ibi were collaborating actively and providing security shields and cover for a notorious criminal?
Bear no delusion: The DCO at Ibi is not the only police officer working in concert with kidnappers and armed robbers. Much of the criminal activities that take place across the country cannot possibly happen without the active connivance of security agents. So where does this leave the Police? Perhaps a proper self-audit should be recommended.
Where do we go from here? For starters – the leadership of the nation’s security agencies has failed, and a change is long overdue. An army chief whose captain (and soldiers) aided the escape of a notorious kidnapper has no moral authority to remain in office for one extra day. How about the police boss? What effort has he taken to sanitise the system from within?
What does it say of IGP Adamu Mohammed’s force when its officers actively aided the killing of 3 specially-trained officers and sought to destroy evidence? These are their colleagues we are talking about!
May we be spared the tragedy of living in a nation where the safety of security officers is at the mercy of mindless criminals.
To Wadume, one can say this: May justice be done.