Tarabba: How Bala, The Kidnap Kingpin Was Arrested By the Police But Freed By The Military

 By Suleiman Umaru

 More  facts  have emerged how  Hamisu Bala,   a fish seller and Kidnap kingpin in Taraba sate, north east  geo-political region,  who has been trailed over the last two  years  because f his criminal activities in the state   was   nabbed by Mohammed Adamu, the Inspector General of Police, IGP,   Intelligence Response Team, IRT.

Bala, according to security sources , who goes by the nickname, ‘’Why do you mean ‘’, which people mistook to mean Wadume, was said to have played into police hands through one of his close associates in the kidnap business, Karba who was arrested  in Jalingo, the state  Capita over his alleged involvement in the kidnapping of a Permanent  Secretary in the state.

The suspect was said to have opened up during interrogation that   the 35 year-old Bala, has become a millionaire through the Kidnap business   was the leader of the gang in the state.  Given the clue, the police  team were said to have gone back to the drawing  board   to perfect plans to arrest  him without failing. They knew that the operation could be boggled if they failed to carry Kwarba along. They have no option that to treat him with kids globe to make him feel at home into volunteer more information that would help them in their investigation.

Given the encouragement to the Bala  gang member already in police net, he was said to have opened up a channel of Communication with him through regular phone calls without interrupting their discussion which was closely monitored.

 The Value News learnt that   for the  three days, the suspect was in IRT  Custody guarded   by heavily armed policemen. He was allowed  a hold  discussion with the kidnap gang leader  but refused to disclose the location  where he was to avoid giving him  room  for  escape.

Security watchers believe that Kawrba may not have opened up to him as he may  not wanted to suffer alone.  He was said  to have  played along with him going by the instructions  of the police Team. Based on their daily discussions  the  police team were able to get useful  information  that could lead to his arrest.

Based on the duo discussion , he was said to have  disclosed  that   he would be coming to  Ibi, Headquarter of Ibi local government Area , which incidentally is his  hometown for the Eid el Kabir Celebration.   

Acting on the information, the police Team which was in touch with the state police Command were said to have to have  sent  to them to prepare or the operation at Ibi , the Taraba king ping home town. It was  learnt  he had sent out messages to the gang members to be at Ibi town  for the Sallah festival.  Unknown to him the bubble has burst as plain cloth policemen  from the state police Command  have laid ambush for him  to ensure that he has no  escape route .

When the Coast became clear to strike, the  GP Team, were said to have  embarked on the journey to Ibi, accompanied by Kwarba ,  who was said to have identified him at a  Coffee joint, at the junction leading to the state government lodge, an indication that they may have insiders in the Government House who was feeding him with information on the movement of  top officials .

Perhaps to avoid any exchange of bullet  with the gang members who may have been with him at the Coffee joint,  the policemen who disguised  themselves   vehicle dealers  were said to have approached him that they have a  bus for sale. Without questioning them to disclose their identity, he was said to have  sought  to know the cost of the bus in order to buy it.

Given low mentality, the policemen  were said to have convinced him that thy would need to step aside to conclude the negotiation for the sale of the vehicle   to avoid distraction.  He was said to have followed the policemen   who forced him to enter into a bus  and finally showed their identity  that they were in the state to arrest him  after  handcuffing and chaining his legs.

 It was clinically done without any resistance   as they never allowed him to in contact with Kwarba which may have emboldened  him to resist the arrest.  Some of the gang members who may have been with him  at the Coffee location  and watched what has  happened to their leader knew the game was up   as they  quickly took to their heels.

Trouble may have started for the police team who came for the  Ibi operation  when  the  suspected kidnapper gang  leader   forced his head of the bus  and  shouted ‘’ I have been kidnapped by these people’’. The rumour was said to have spread like wildfire in the town  as some of his boys  were said to have mounted motor bikes  to chase the  police vehicle that came for him.

The police team may have succeeded in beating the first and second  military checkpoints on the road to Jalingo  Ibi but were not lucky  with the third checkpoint. His boys were said to  have alerted  the soldiers  at the checkpoint  who quickly laid ambush for the police team. On citing the bus,  the soldiers were said to have opened fire  on it  forcing it to somersault into the bush as the police driver lost control of the wheels.Note that three policemen and a Civilian were killed in the process. It was an opportunity for Bala, the kidnap kingpin, who was handcuffed and chained on the legs to  escape.

Hamisu Bala: Taraba Millionaire Kidnap Kingpin, Gone Into Hiding

He was said to have crawled to a location where he could  easily get help.  Channels Television reports that  he took refuge  in the home of an old Jukun woman.  He could not have entered  into a Tiv man’s house for  fear that he may be exposed him to security Operatives who apprehend him again.

It was a clever decision as he was said to  have called his Army Captain friend  who quickly rushed down to the old woman’s home based on the description given to  him with three other soldiers. The Captain was said to have removed  the handcuffs and unchained  his leg. The Army Captain did not stop there.  He was said to have dropped him  at his  Ibi Home and left.

He may have taken advantage of the people’s jubilation over his return to escape to an undisclosed location.  As at press time neither the soldiers nor the police Team have set eye on him to facilitate his rear rest. Top officials of the state police Command  appear  unsettled over  the disappearance of the 35 year-old Bala, the notorious kidnapper  thus attracting the attention of the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

Frank Mba, a Deputy Commissioner of Police and the Force spokesperson, has demanded the whereabouts  of the kidnap  kingpin suspect  who  was said to have been freed by the Army. The question on the lips of most peoples is : why should the Army Captain cut the handcuff and chains on his legs  without alerting the police? .

The Army , however in their desperate  bid to justify their action at the Checkpoint  claimed that the policemen were  on illegal assignment in the state  as they mistook them to be kidnappers  but Mba described the Statement  as ‘’insensitive, disrespectful and unpatriotic’’.

 He was said  to have made it clear to those that cares  to listen that  the  police team had done nothing wrong  as they  were in Taraba state to arrest Bala, a kidnap suspect  who  has been indicted in a series of high profile  cases in the state.

Given the involvement of the Army in the escape of the millionaire kidnapper , the Police Authorities  fear  that he might be killed by the soldiers  to frustrate   their investigation  into his criminal activities in the state. Police top shots believe that  since he case has turned against the Army in all its ramifications,  they may do everything within their powers  to kill him if they get at him first  in order to make  it impossible  for detectives to  get to the root of the matter  and further establishing  the  suspicion of the connection  between the Taraba  kidnapper kingpin  and  the soldiers  who rescued him from the  police Team .

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