Residents of Ibi community in Taraba State have celebrated the return of a notorious kidnapper Hamisu Bala popularly known as Wadume, after his release on completion of his jail term from Kuje prison, Abuja.
Wadume was rearrested in 2019, a few weeks after soldiers attacked a police team that arrested him in Ibbi, Taraba State and sentenced to seven years in prison by a Federal High Court in Abuja for escaping from lawful custody and unlawfully dealing in prohibited firearms.
The prosecution had failed to prove the charges of kidnapping against him, and on completion of his jail term (for escaping from lawful custody and unlawfully dealing in prohibited firearms) he was set free last Friday, and upon his return to his community he was given a rousing welcome.
It could be recalled that soldiers attached to Battalion 93 of the Nigerian Army, led by Tijjani Balarabe stormed a police checkpoint on the Ibbi-Takum Road where a police team had arrested Wadume August 6, 2019. They later set him free after killing some of the police officers. Reports then had it that three police officers and two civilians were killed during the incident, while five other police officers were injured.
However, following his release from prison on Friday, the ex-convict on return paid homage to the Chief of Ibbi, Salihu Danbawuro, after addressing the crowd that received him. He expressed appreciation to the chief and the people for standing by him throughout the period of his trial.
In his remark at the occasion, Danbawuro told Wadume that he and his subjects were happy that he was out of prison and return to Ibbi, his hometown, stressing that the entire people of Ibbi chiefdom are happy that he is now back. He said Wadume has pledged to work with relevant stakeholders to fight against criminality. According to him, the palace had to accept Wadume and take him by his words, believing that he would not go back to his old lifestyle.
“We are hoping that he will not go back to criminality. He came to the palace and pledged his loyalty as a changed person. Even repented Boko Haram are allowed to reintegrate into the community, so we have to accept him and take proactive steps to secure our community. He is back as a repented person and remember, he belongs to this community and the name of our community was associated with criminality during that incident.” Danbawuro said.
This development has irked a cross section of the public, particularly members of the civil society who questioned why a community would organize a welcome party for a man who had been convicted of crime.