Hamisu Wadume held by police (image courtesy: Nigerian Police)

The police have charged Taraba kidnap kingpin, Bala Hamisu, also known as Wadume, Captain Tijjani Balarabe and 18 others with 16 counts bordering on terrorism, murder and kidnapping.

It is understood that the criminal charge, dated February 3, 2020, was filed by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Simon Lough; Anthony Egwu, and Peter Amadi, all of the Legal/Prosecution Section, Force Headquarters, Abuja.

The suspected kidnap kingpin, Wadume, named in the clash between policemen and soldiers in Taraba state last year, was rearrested by police operatives tied to the Inspector General of Police’s Intelligence Response Team

The police had, on 8 August, announced that three of their personnel and a civilian had been allegedly killed by soldiers in Taraba.

Spokesman for the police, DCP Frank Mba, said at the time that the officers were killed while on investigative activities within the Ibi area of the northeast state.

He said that the officers had gone to arrest Wadume, who had been indicted in a series of high-profile kidnap incidents in the State.

According to Mba, the police operatives, led by ASP Felix Adolije of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) came under sudden attack by soldiers along Ibi–Jalingo Road, as they were taking the arrested suspect Wadume to the Command Headquarters in Jalingo.

The soldiers were alleged to have, thereafter, released the handcuffed Wadume.

“Three Policemen (comprising one Inspector and two Sergeants) and one civilian died as a result of gunshot injuries sustained in the attack while others sustained serious gunshot wounds. The soldiers thereafter released the handcuffed suspect, Alhaji Hamisu, who is now on the run,” a statement from Mba read.

Accordion to Mba, Wadume is a notorious kidnap kingpin, who has been on the police wanted list for his complicity in the abduction of an Oil-Mogul in Taraba.

He said that a ransom of about One Hundred Million Naira (N100,000,000) was paid to Wadume.

The Nigerian Army has since set up a high-powered team to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.

. Taraba Police Killing: Wadume, Army Captain Charged With Terrorism Follow Concise News.